Home is where the Heart is
by Lil Q
Summary: Max has had a tough life. Being exiled from the outside world, being tortured,it all takes its toll on our favorite Bird-kid. So what happens when she is pushed into a world of normalcy? Why is everything so familiar? Max is in for one heck of a ride.AU
1. Prologue

**Hey. I don't think I have many fans on this site. I have a couple people read and review my others stories, one of which has taken a long thing of writers block: sorry bout that. So um anyways. This is a new Max story. With a twist. Everyone is human, mostly. And I'm guessing you read the summary before you clicked this so you know what it's about. Hope you enjoy, RnR.**

**-Lil Q**

Home is where the heart is.

Prologue:

I was screaming my head off. In my head at least. The scary men in the white jackets put a needle into me so I couldn't move. Where was my Daddy?

I felt them slice into my back again and again. It hurt so bad. Why were they doing this?

Then the knives stopped. The pain was still there, but slightly different. The cuts still stung but there was something else, like someone was stretching my skin.

That was when my back exploded. It felt like when I broke my arm falling off the swings, except a thousand times worse. Then I realized my bones weren't breaking, they were growing. Out of my back?

My skin was stretching I felt wierd things pop out of the extra skin on my back. And the pain was gone. I had completely healed.

The two white-coat men looked at me with greedy eyes, then all of a sudden one of the was knocked over with a big thump and the other went to see what happened when I saw a dart hit his neck, and he collapsed too.

I felt comforting arms pick me up and I looked up to see my Daddy.

"Oh, Max..." he whispered with tears in his eyes.

That's when I found my voice "Daddy, it hurt." I whimpered and he held me close.

"I know, sweetie, I know. But don't worry; I'm getting you out of here."


	2. Chapter 1

**Okay chapter one, we're really getting this story on a roll. This is just the kind of chaper to set the plot into gear, and this is where you learn a little more about Max. Enjoy, RnR.**

**-Lil Qssss**

Chapter one:

Fourteen years later.

Beep beep beep. _Beep beep beep. _BEEP BEEP BEEP. _BEEP BEEP BEEP._

Oh for God's sake.

I rolled over and hit my alarm with a flourish. Maybe now I could get some sleep.

"Max, you aren't trying to go back to sleep are you?" My Dad, Jeb called up the stairs. He knows me too well.

I groaned.

"Max?"

"Alright, I'm up!" I called. I changed into the one outfit I had that wasn't packed; black skinny jeans and a teal t-shirt. I looked in my bathroom mirror. My wavy blonde-brown hair tumbled over my shoulders and to my waist. My brown eyes looked back at me with a dead look.

Today was the day, we were moving again. I'd moved so many times in my life you would think I would be used to it by now, but me, my Dad and- I cut myself off; I didn't want to break down. Needless to say _we _had lived in this house for four years; longer than anywhere before.

When I came out of the bathroom I reluctantly picked up my last suitcase and my guitar case while taking one last look at my room. It was empty except for my bed which we were leaving because it came it the house. My room looked so barren without all my stuff in it, but there were still the little holes in the walls from tack from my posters but those little details made the room look forgotten, and I didn't want to remember it this way. This realization stopped me from taking one last look of the rest of the rooms.

I trudged down the stairs and went straight to the kitchen where my dad had my breakfast prepared for me; he didn't dare let me try to cook what with my track record of burnt pans and fire alarms going off. I slumped into the bar stool in front of my breakfast and dug in despite my mood I was always hungry. My Dad said it was all part of being "special".

My Dad sat next to me as I ate; both of us were dreading this day. When I was done he wordlessly cleaned my plate in the sink and I studied his features. He had thick light brown hair that was white at his sideburns. He had gentle, kind facial features, but when he was angry they could look very hard and mean.

He had big blue eyes, which I would never admit, but I was slightly jealous of. I apparently got my eyes from my mom, who I didn't remember; My Dad and I "left" her when I was two years old.

"Dad..." I started looking at him hopelessly; I didn't want to leave. He sighed and walked over to the chair next to me.

"What is it Max?" he said with sad eyes.

"We can't leave! This is where Ari..." I trailed off, upset.

He looked at me seriously. "Max, Ari would want us to be safe." Internal sigh. That was his serious voice, the one he used when he meant business; there was no saying so to him when he used that tone, nothing would sway him. His expression changed, into wariness. "But Max, there is something I have to tell you, it has to do with the move."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But I thought you just said that we definitely were leaving?" He looked at me gently.

"We are. But Max, I have to explain something to you right now, and I don't want you interrupting or trying to change my mind, because it won't work, it's for the best." I was speechless, my Dad always let me have a little say in things, and to not let me do anything about something, he must be serious.

"Max, I got into Itex's system a few weeks ago, and I deleted all traces they have of you." He smiled at me.

My eyes widened and my heart lifted. They had nothing on me? That means they couldn't search for me. I was finally free! I grinned and threw my arms around my Dad and he hugged me back tightly. "Are you serious? I'm free? That's amazing!" I let him go and looked up at his face. It had a bittersweet look on it, and my face fell a little. "But Dad what about you? What does this have to do with moving?"

He took a deep breath. "Max this is the art that you can't interrupt or try to change my mind about. Are we clear?" I nodded mutely. "Good. Max I- we're not moving together." I felt my eyes widen. "No interrupting." He cautioned. "Sweetheart, I'm sending you to your mother. But to be on the safe side she doesn't know that she's actually adopting the daughter that was taken from her all those years ago."

I didn't know how to take this. I'd been dreaming about seeing my mother since I was a little girl, but losing my Dad? I almost had tears in my eyes. Almost. But I never cry, I didn't even cry at my little brother's funeral. "Dad." My voice broke, but there were no tears.

He shook his head. "This is my decision Max. It's final." But I could see the traces of tears starting to form in his eyes too.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter two:

"Dad can we at least talk about this?" I begged. Sure. My Dad was strong. But I knew it would be hard for him to be on his own, he had me for so long and before that he was with my mother.

My mother. Valencia Martinez. I wonder if she's nice.

"Max I already told you no. You deserve to have a normal life." He said while looking out the wind shield; we were driving to the airport. I gave him a look of disbelief. He sighed. "Or as normal as your life can get, and Max I can't do that anymore. I'm not the person who can give you the most."

"I'm just worried about you Dad." He smiled in spite of himself and took my hand, leaving one on the wheel.

"I'll be fine. Now. Your name is no longer legally Maxine Batcheldar. You are now Maximum Ride." I almost smiled. I had wanted to change my name from Maxine for a long time, and I had always loved the astronaut Sally Ride. But I wasn't happy about this. I was breaking my ties to my Dad. So I just nodded. "Your parents died in a plane crash last summer and their names were Mary and Steve Ride. Okay?"

I stared ahead. "Got it." The airport wasn't far away now.

"At the airport in Arizona your going meet a woman named Anne Walker, a friend of your mother. She doesn't know that you're her friend's daughter that was kidnapped that long time ago, but you can trust her; she works at the adoption agency and specifically requested her. Oh, and here." He took his hand out of mine and pulled out a box and passes it to me.

I opened it, its contents surprising me. "A cell phone?" I said with a raised eyebrow. He smirked at my reaction.

"I figured most normal teenagers your age had one. I'm paying the plan monthly so you don't have to worry about any costs. So you can call or type messages to people all you want."

"I think its called text messaging Dad." I said, unsure. We looked at each other and immediately burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, we are so out of it." I said, after I could breathe again. "Dad I'm not going to fit in with these people at all. I barely know how to change channels on the t.v.!"

He gave a small smile. "You just have to try to find a common interest, I guess. Like sports, you like sports."

I rolled my eyes. "I would whip all their a"- He raised his eyebrows –"Butts so fat they'd know something's up."

"It'd be fine. You worry too much, people want to find a logical explanation for things, no one will think there's something wrong with you."

"I guess." I mumbled "But what about my mother, do I tell her what really happened, that I'm her daughter and I have wings?"

"Max, that's something you're going to have to figure out yourself. But remember: absolutely do not tell anyone unless you know for sure you can trust them." I nodded.

"Oh, and back to the cell phone, I have Anne's phone number programmed in there, so call her when you land."

"Okay." I picked up the cell phone and examined it closely, it was actually pretty cool. "This is a nice phone, thanks Dad." This made him smiled.

"No problem sweetheart. Also I can call and check in on you every now and then."

My face lit up, "Really? That's great Dad!" I had to resist the urge to hug him while he was driving.

He smiled. "I'll call around once every six months." He said. The happy look on my face slid off.

"At least once a month." I said, copying his "I mean business tone."

He shook his head. "Every six months."

"Every month."

"Every six months." He insisted.

"Every month."

He sighed. "I guess we're both not budging." He said. Every time this happened we would meet in the middle. "Once every three months." He said as he parked the car in front of the airport.

I thought about it for a minute. "Deal."

"We're here." He sighed.

"Yup." Was all I said. Neither one of us wanted to get out of the car, neither of us wanted to be separated.

"Max one more thing: If people get you mad you have to control your temper. No going insane with rage." I sighed. He was serious; I did have a bit of a problem with my temper. "Just because you know how to incapacitate people in thousands of ways doesn't mean you should." He was joking a bit here, he know I wouldn't go that far. But I did know how to fight.

I laughed a little. "Kay."

"Hun, from here on out your going to be surrounded by other people, so act normal." He smiled at me with his big blue eyes and got out of the car. I sighed and did the same.

I was standing in front of my terminal with my one carryon bag and my guitar, which was too precious not to carry. I was standing there with the only person in the world that I trusted, the person I was about to leave.

I couldn't meet my Dad's eye; I was too sad. He sighed and put his hands on my shoulders and I looked at him. He had tears in his eyes. "I'm gonna miss you, kid."

"I'm gonna miss you too Daddy." This was really good-bye. I only called him that when I was really upset or really happy.

"Max, can you do something for me?" he asked seriously.

"Anything." I said he pulled out an envelope with the word Valencia on it. "If you decide to tell your mother, can you give his to her for m?" I nodded and wordlessly took the envelope and put it in my bag. "Now." He started, his voice breaking a little. "You've got to promise me a few things." I nodded again. "You've got to try to be yourself as much as you can, without letting the complete truth out. Be cautious about people, but don't be afraid to let a few in."

"I promise." Whispering was about as loud as I could go at this point.

"Don't be too hard on yourself; not everything is your fault. Be strong, be tough, be the Maximum."

I had to smile a little at that one. "Okay."

A big smile lit up his face and he mocked seriousness. "And the most important thing of all that I need you word on." He looked at me sternly. "Don't you dare try to cook." He finished.

I laughed. "You have my word." I promised.

Over the loud speaker it said "Flight 201 Arizona departing in ten minutes, all passengers aboard."

"That's me." I said, and he nodded. My Dad wrapped his arms around me tightly, for all too short a time.

"I love you so much Max." He said, as a few drops of water escaped his eyes.

"I love you too. I'm gonna miss you so much." I said, on the verge of tears myself. But I don't cry.

He let me go and smiled at me as I walked towards the entrance to the plane. I looked over my shoulder and saw him still standing there, I had to run back and hug him once more.

"Bye Daddy." I said.

"Bye kiddo. Go on, you've got a plane to catch." I nodded, turned on my heel and didn't look back.


	4. Chapter 3

**M'kay. Just so we're clear, Iggy isn't blind in this story. Cause he doesn't have wings, so they didn't experiment on him, so they didn't do surgery on his eyes. Oh, and another thing, Max is eventually going to sing in this Fanfic, but some of the songs are sung by guys, so, you'll just have to imagine her singing them. Anyways! Enjoy, please review!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter three:

I stood by the thing that carries your luggage out feeling depressed. I had actually left my Dad, something I had never done before, at least not willingly.

But he wouldn't want me to wallow in loss while I was still at the airport, no, I would save the wallowing for later. I decided to use the new gift my Dad gave me and call this Anne person. Apparently my 'Uncle' couldn't care for me because he was always on the road and set up the adoption, but would call to check in on me every couple months.

I sighed and turned the stupid thing on.

...

I was completely lost. How was I supposed to find her phone number in this thing?

I tried several different icons when I was about ready to trash the thing and walk to the address by myself.

I felt a pressure on my shoulder. All my senses went on alert. Did someone just drug me?

I whirled around almost in fighting stance when I realized it was just some kid tapping me on the shoulder.

I assessed him. He had strawberry blonde hair and was about an inch taller than me. He had very pale skin and was kind of skinny. Nope. Just a kid, not an eraser.

"Can I help you?" I asked scathingly. He looked like a deer in headlights; shocked at my reaction to him tapping me on the shoulder.

He stayed silent for a few seconds. I raised my eyebrows. He shook his head. "Urm, sorry for bothering you, but it looked like you were having some trouble with your phone, and I wanted to know if you wanted some help."

My eyes widened. This was soooo out of my comfort zone. Battling s full grow black-belt man twice my size? Sure. Evil scientists chasing me all over the world? I could deal.

But someone being nice? So not my thing.

_Calm down Max. _I told myself. _Dad erased all Itex's traces on me. This guy is just being nice. You're going to have to get used to this._

He was still waiting for a response. "Um, yeah that would be great. I'm trying to find a contact my... Uncle put in here for me and I can't find it." His eyebrows furrowed together. Was this kind of thing common knowledge? "Never held a cell phone before in my life." I said.

He nodded and took the phone. "Who are you looking for?" he asked.

Deep breaths, he's not trying to find stuff out about you, just trying to help you out.

"Um someone named Anne Walker." I said. His eyebrows rose.

"Anne Walker?" I nodded. "Are you Maximum?" he asked.

Calm. CALM. _CALM. _"Uh, it's Max." He smiled.

"Anne's my mom, I came to help carry your luggage and stuff while we take you to your new home, and I'm Iggy by the way."

"Ah." I said. See Max? Nothing to be afraid of.

"Come on I'll show you where she is." I nodded. "Oh, wait, is all that yours?" He said eyeing my two suit cases, my carry-on and my two guitar cases. I nodded. I was already had my carry-on slung over my shoulder and was holding my guitars, so he picked up my suitcases.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"So you play?" he asked eyeing my guitar cases.

"A little." Was all I said. Oh for Pete's sake! He was just being friendly. Why can't I be nice?

_Because I don't trust him. _I sighed internally. I knew I would always use that excuse for everyone here, even though I haven't met them yet. But I knew the excuse would be enough for me not to talk to people.

"Ah." He fell silent; I wasn't giving him that much to work with. _Well get used to it, pal._

"Mom's just waiting by the car." He said as we headed to the parking lot. I nodded.

I followed him up to a shiny silver hybrid pruis, that had a woman standing next to it.

She was average height, I guess. About 5 4". She had short blonde hair; to her chin, and it was the same colour as this Iggy guy. When she saw me her light blue eyes lit up.

"Oh, you must be Maximum!" she exclaimed.

"It's Max." I muttered again.

She smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Max. I'm Anne Walker, I'm your adoption agent, so if you have any problems feel free to contact me."

She was looking at me expectantly. What was I suppose to answer? "Um, yeah thanks." I muttered.

I figured I was allowed to seem upset and sullen; my "parents" had just died after all.

She didn't seem to be bothered by my lack of willingness to speak, she continued "Right, well I don't think you'll have any problems; I'm also your next door neighbour, and Valencia is my best friend."

I nodded.

"I see you've met James." When she looked over at him her eyes widened "Oh, sorry sweetheart let's put that luggage in the car."

My eyebrows furrowed. "I thought it was Iggy." I said. He lied to me? Why?

He smiled at me with the same bright blue eyes as his Mom. "My mom calls me my real name, James, but everyone else I know calls me Iggy."

"Oh." Was all I said.

We followed Anne around the back of the car and she unlocked it.

I stared dejectedly as they put my suitcases in their trunk. They, like me were being sent to a new place that they had no choice in going to.

**Sorry it was kinda fillerishy but she's gonna meet the Martinez's next chapter! Oh and a special shout out to who gave me my first review! 3 thanks!**


	5. Chapter 4

**K I didn't really plan on what was going to happen in this chapter it just sort of happened. So another fillerishy one but she does meet her family! Enjoy! Oh and btw I didn't put in my first reviewers name last time :Death waters THANK YOU! Oh and thanks to Jace'n'Fanglover for all your reviews, its appreciated!**

**-Lil Q RnR! **

Chapter four:

The car ride with the walker's was quiet; I had put my iPod on so loud I couldn't hear myself think, which can be a good thing.

St. Johns Arizona was a cute town, I had to admit. Everything was all red. The ground was red; the cliffs in the distance were red... But once we got to the suburbs, you could see trees planted on front lawns and in backyards, mowed grass, and little kids playing on their driveways...

It was so... normal. It felt alien to me, to see people who had lives that hadn't been ruined by experiments on their genes, and people who didn't wear white coats who came at you with needles.

That... was kind of sad.

But when the car turned up to my "new" street I had an overwhelming sense of Déjà Vu. Well I _had _been here before.

We stopped in front of my house. I took my headphones out and stepped out of the car. Wow.

It was just a house, sure, not a mansion or anything. But it was beautiful, still. It had a wide front porch with a wrought iron fence in front of it with two rocking chairs and a small table. Ivy draped over the sides of the house. Along the base of the porch was overflowing with flowers, they were all bright and colourful.

But my favourite part was the tire swing. They had a huge willow tree in the front, which base was covered in more flowers, and there was an old tire hanging on by a rope to a particularly large branch.

I had definitely been here before. It was just like a dream that I used to have before Ari died.

_I was two years old again and I was giggling hysterically as the man with big blue eyes and sandy hair tickled me .He had no worry lines on his face and he seemed so care free._

_I was sitting in the middle of a tire, holding one side for dear life while Daddy rocked it back and forth, held me on, and tickled me at the same time._

_A woman with dark curly hair and shining brown eyes came out of the house. She took one look at us and put her hands on her hips, rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and walked over._

_She apprehended me from Daddy and asked. "What was Daddy doing to you, Maxy?"_

_I giggled "Daddy put tire on tree Mommy!" I said pointing._

_She smiled lovingly. "I see that."_

"_It weely fun!" I squealed, throwing my hands in the air. Mommy laughed._

"_I'm glad." She kissed my cheek. Daddy came over and put his arms around us._

"_It's all yours, sweetheart." He said tapping my nose. Mommy leant her head on his shoulder._

I had always thought that it was just a dream I had imagined, but this was the tire swing. If my dream was true, Valencia Martinez must be... well... the perfect Mom.

This house made me both sad and happy... no that's not the word. Allured? Anyways. It was saddening, because I could see what kind of life I could have had here. Probably the perfect childhood, with lots of friends and good times.

I was allured by the house because I could just sit out here for days sketching and painting it.

"Max? Hello?" I came out of my reverie to see Anne and Iggy staring at me.

"Sorry." I muttered.

Anne smiled. "It's alright; this must be a big change for you." _You have no Idea. _"I'm going to go in and see if their ready." I nodded.

Iggy leant against the car with me, smiling. "Are you excited to meet your new family?" he asked.

I just shrugged. I was interested to meet my mom and see who else was in the family but... I didn't really want a family unless my Dad was in it.

"You miss your old family huh?" he guessed.

Well better act it out to the fullest. "Yeah." I said. He seemed startled that I actually answered him. "It was over a year ago now when they..." I trailed off. "But I miss them you know?" I looked down sadly.

You see, when you're trained to lie to the best of your abilities to get out of any situation, you become an amazing actor. But in this case it was kind of true.

He smiled sympathetically. "Hey, Max?" he asked. I looked up at him. "You seem to be someone who doesn't like surprises, so I'm warning you: the Martinez's are going to throw a party tomorrow so you can meet all their friends and stuff." He said.

I almost smiled. "Thanks Iggy."

"No problem." Iggy seemed really nice. If I was normal maybe we could even be friends. But I wasn't normal and I never would be.

Anne came out then, and waved us over. Iggy grunted as he heaved up my suitcases. Baby. I could have carried all of my stuff without breaking a sweat. But then again, I _was _genetically altered.

I took a deep breath and marched up to the house. Anne went in first.

"Val, Ella," she started. "This is Max." I steadied myself and went around her to see them.

Valencia Martinez was... well exactly how I remembered her from my dream. Thick curly dark hair, pearl-like skin and stunning brown eyes. The only difference was... in her eyes. It wasn't the physical shape or colour, but you could see a deep sadness that still lived there after being buried long ago.

She smiled, it was still warm and caring, but not as full of love as it was before. Huh. I guess I can't replace me in her heart. "Hello Max, it's nice to meet you, I'm Valencia Martinez, but you can call me Val, or even mom if you want."

I decided on following me and my Dad's compromise; I was all set on calling her Dr. Martinez(she was a vet) so you know what. "It's nice to meet you too, Valencia." I said, not quite meeting her eyes.

A girl, around fourteen, came up beside her. I almost widened my eyes. "Hi Max, I'm Ella, your new sister." She looked almost exactly like Dr. Martinez. Ivory skin, dark curly hair, overall prettiness. But it wasn't so much that she looked like Dr, Martinez that was really surprising, it was her eyes. Her bright blue eyes. The eyes that I had come to love and trust throughout my whole life. Jeb's eyes.

How was that even possible? Unless Dr. Martinez had been pregnant and not known it when he left after me... That had to be it. Because there was no way Ella wasn't Jeb's daughter.

"It's nice to meet you." I said, looking at her from under my green contacts; they would notice something was weird if I had the exact same colour eyes as Dr. Martinez. "Um, do you think I could go see me room? I'm tired from the plane ride and I want to get settled." I lied. What I wanted to do was wallow. Pathetic huh? Still, I wanted to be alone.

Dr. Martinez smiled. "Of course." She looked at Anne. "Thanks Anne, for everything."

She smiled. "Max, remember, if you have any problems just call me, or walk next door, but I doubt you will. I'll see you soon."

I nodded. She left with Iggy. He gave me a small wave.

Dr. Martinez smiled. "It's good to have you here Max." She said putting her hand on my shoulder. "I hope you'll be at home here." The warmth never left her eyes. She looked like she really wanted to hug me, but my stance(rigid with my arms crossed) seemed to put her off it.

Oh my god. This is my mother. This is what could have been. The thought brought be lower than I already way, but I still managed a weak grimace. I would never be the little girl she lost, it was best to not let her know anything about me, best to not let anyone know about me.


	6. Chapter 5

**Guys, I have been so mucho happy with your reviews and story alerts and favourite story listings that I made an extra-long chapter. But I still havn't managed to get Fang in. . Next chapter definitely. This chapter you learn a bit about Ella, so have fun munchin on that. Remember. Fang in the next chapter. And if he's not, I'l force myself to listen to Justin Bieber (Sorry to those with the fever) I just ond't like him. Anyways RnR! Enjoy **

**-Lil Q**

Chapter five:

"Ella why don't you show Max her room?" Dr Martinez asked, looking lovingly at her daughter.

_She used to look at me that way._

"Sure mom." Ella replied.

"I'm so sorry Max, I thought you were going to be here earlier, so I had an appointment scheduled now, but I can cancel it if you want." Dr. Martinez said. Looking at me worriedly.

Why did she have to be so nice? If I have to go away with my Dad again it would be hard if she kept this up. This realization brought me to a decision. I couldn't get close to these people. Besides for all I know they could be crazies from the school in disguise.

"Max?" she asked.

So I went with my gut and just shrugged and muttered, while looking at my feet. "Its fine, I'm probably going to crash for awhile anyway."

She smiled. "Okay, I'll see you girls later." She said.

Ella looked at my suitcases. "Um, I guess we should have told Iggy to stay." She said nervously. Oh, come on; were they really that heavy to humans?

I sighed. "Ella, if you take my guitars, I'll grab the suitcases."

Her eyes widened "But they're so huge! It'll probably take both of us to lift one!" I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Hopefully all teenage girls weren't this bad of drama queens.

I wordlessly passed her my guitars, which were very light, but she still had to grip them tightly. I picked up my suitcases.

_Oh for god's sake! This is what everyone said was so heavy? _I thought. _I could pick up three of these per hand and not break a sweat!_

Ella's eyes widened. "How are you doing that? Those things are huge!"

I shrugged. "Can you show me my room?" I asked, not looking at her. She probably already thought I was a freak.

She smiled in spite of herself. "Sure. Follow me." We went upstairs through the hall to the farthest room at the end. Ella opened the door.

"Wow." I said. The room was almost as long as the hallway and twice as wide. Everything was dark wood; the door to the closet, the desk, the bed frame, a bookcase... Next to the bookcase was a small blue sofa, probably for reading. The comforter on the bed was dark blue, and the pillows and sheets underneath were white. At the end of the room two French door with windows stood as a gateway to a balcony (perfect for flying), and dark blue curtains were pulled back to let light in.

But my favourite part was the huge ebony grand piano.

Ella caught me eyeing it and smiled nervously. "Sorry about that, that piano has been passed down through the generations of my mom's family to the first born daughter, even though I don't want it, but anyways it's always been in here, because this is one of the biggest rooms in the house, but my mom said if you wanted we could find somewhere else for it..." Did everyone around this age group talk this much around here? I was cringing at the thought of this beautiful piano being taken away; I had only ever played on key boards and electric ones, not full blown grand pianos.

"Uh, Max?" Ella inquired. I was still staring at the piano.

I shook my head. "Sorry, do you mind?" I asked gesturing to the piano.

Ella raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Go ahead." I put the suitcases down and walked across the hardwood floor to the piano. I sat on the seat and lifted up the thing over the keys. I closed my eyes and let my fingers glide over the keys as I played one of my scales.

I opened my eyes, invigorated by the perfect sound it made, that sound couldn't be duplicated by a computerized piano, not really. I looked over at Ella whose mouth was slightly open. "What?"

I kept myself from freaking out. Did she see my wings?

"You're amazing!" she exclaimed.

Despite my gloom half of my mouth quirked up slightly in an almost-smile. "I've never played on a grand piano before; it's beautiful, is it alright if it stays here?" I asked.

Ella grinned "Sure. So do you like your room? I designed it. I didn't know of you were girly or not so I went with regal, but with a sense of dignity."

I raised my eyebrows at her description. "It's great. Is there a reason my walls are white though?"

Ella laughed, it was familiar; she was definitely Jeb's daughter too. Her similarities to him were obvious, I wondered if Dr. Martinez was ever bothered by it. Ella said. "Mom said to let you pick out the colour of the walls, and we could all paint them together."

My mind was looking at the walls calculatingly. "Ella, I think I want to do the walls myself if you don't mind, I think I'll do a mural."

Ella looked surprised "You paint too?"

I shrugged, what did people not have hobbies here?

On the desk there was a laptop. Dad had one, but I never really used it. I was completely lost. Did everyone have one, like a cell phone?

Ella smiled. "Oh, yeah we got you a laptop for school; it's all setup and everything."

I looked at her directly and said flat out. "I don't have the slightest clue on how to use that."

Ella's eyes widened "So, you can play the piano as good as Mozart but you can't use a laptop?" My eyes narrowed. Was she mocking me?

I was about to make a mean retort but I remember what Dad said: keep your temper under control.

So all I said was "I never needed to use a computer."

She nodded. I walked over to the book case which had a wide variety from philosophy to old Shakespearian stories, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, to science and biology. "These are good books" I said.

"They were my Dad's" Ella said, looking a little sad. She never grew up with her Dad? Well I never grew up with my mom. So there. I had to go through torture and my little brother dying. I win. The thought was kind of sick in a way.

I sighed internally at having to keep up the show, but mildly curious to her take on the story asked "What happened to your Dad?"

She shrugged "I don't know the whole story, but apparently I had an older sister who was kidnapped when my mom was just a few days pregnant with me, and my Dad went kind of crazy and went to find her. My mom hired tons of investigators... but it was like they had both disappeared into thin air. I think my sister was probably killed, but I have no clue about my Dad. Dead or alive he doesn't even know I exist. I think he was so broken about my sister, Maxine, that he didn't have the will to come back, but if he knew about me he would. It's enough to keep a girl up at night" she finished. Even though I had it much worse, I couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Ella. But she had no freaking clue.

_And neither does my Dad. _I thought.

"What about you?" she asked suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

"Your parents, what happened to them?" _Same thing as yours._

I put on a show of looking heartbroken. "Well..." I hesitated. As if this was hard to say. "My parents traveled a lot for their work, and I would usually go with them." I took a deep breath. "But last summer I was staying with my uncle for two weeks and on one of their routine flights they crashed and died instantly." How's that for blunt? I gave no more word on the subject and Ella looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry." I shrugged.

"Ella, I actually am really tired, so would you mind?" I said.

She smiled tentatively, "Sure, my rooms the first on the right of you need me." I nodded, and she left.

I collapsed on the bed. This place was nice, but it wasn't home. At least, not anymore.

I was really tired, but I couldn't sleep; I wasn't relaxed in these surroundings.

So I busied myself by unpacking my things. There was no dresser in this room so I assumed everything would go into my closet. I opened the door and my eyes widened. It was huge! Well I could take about five steps in it but that was still pretty big. Never again would my jeans lay crumpled in my drawers; they would be hanging up from now on.

Oh, yeah I was livin' the cushy life now.

After my clothes were put away I put a few pictures frames up on the nightstand, the top of the bookshelf and the desk.

_Jeez technology these days. _I thought. Dad had created an image of my "parents" that looked totally real. The woman, Mary, had hair like mine and light brown eyes, lighter than my real eye colour. She also had the same mouth. The man, Steve, had skin like me; lightly tanned, and a similar nose. He had dark hair and hazel eyes. Behind this picture, in the frame, was of my dad, Ari, and I, in one of our old backyards having a picnic. I knew I shouldn't have it there, but I did.

Another picture was partly real. It was in some living room that I had never been in before. It was a picture of me I had seen before, from when I was five. I had my arms around the neck of what in the original was my Dad, but in this picture, the man that was holding me had thick dark hair, the same colour as "Steve Ride's". He had the same green eyes as I did, in the picture and on my current contact. This picture had to be of me and my "Uncle" who would call me every few months. Another difference I couldn't help but noticing about myself in the picture, was that in the original I had wings sticking out of my back.

I had to smile a little at the picture that was behind this one. It was a picture of me, when I was eleven, holding Ari, when he was six. I was laughing and Ari was kissing my cheek. It was his birthday and I had painted a picture of him and I where we both had wings, not just me. But the smile slid off my face as I remembered what happened to that painting, it was burned with him when he was cremated, because he loved it so much.

I sighed and looked in my suitcases, they were empty except for a few posters, but I wasn't going to put them up because I was going to paint my walls, which I had to admit I was a little excited about.

I finally took out my guitars. I took out my electric one first. It was a twelve string. It was dark blue with a white wing covering half of the bottom and its strings were fake gold. I ran my fingers along the smooth surface under the strings. I loved this guitar. I put it on the stand next to the amp that I had.

I opened my acoustic guitar case and stroked the strings lovingly as it made a pitch perfect sound. This guitar was one of my favourite things in the whole world. Ari had picked it out for my tenth birthday. It was all black and had gold and silver swirls painted on it. The strings were silver. Written on the back in perfect calligraphy and gold paint was '_To Max, Happy tenth birthday, Love Ari.' _ He was only five when he picked it out but he said he picked it because it was pretty like me. It was so sweet. I strummed he strings once and put it on the stand.

I heard knocking at the door. It had a bit of meaning to it; this was my room now, so people had to knock.

"Yeah?" I said.

Ella poked her head in. "Can I come in?" she asked. I nodded.

She looked at my guitars. "Wow those are beautiful!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"Um, my mom's home and she brought dinner, Chinese. She wanted to know if you wanted some, or something else, since she doesn't know what you like." She said.

She had me at 'she brought dinner' I was starving. "Yeah, that'd be great." I said.

Ella smiled. "Come on, you haven't seen the whole house yet have you?" I shook my head and followed her.


	7. Chapter 6

**K I'm sorry this chapter took awhile but It was extra long so I guess that makes up for it. You learn a lot more about Max in this chapter and you get to met *drumroll*... NUDGE! Lol jkjk you get to meet Fang too. Oh thankou for getting me up to 20 reviews! ^.^ Anyways enjoy, it took me forever.**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter six:

Ella and Dr. Martinez had, of course, been surprised by how much I ate. I had written it off as a very high metabolism.

I was currently sitting on a chair on my balcony, lightly strumming my acoustic guitar.

It was beautiful, I would give it that. The sun was setting behind the red cliffs, setting off yellow, red and pink colours in the sky.

I sighed. It wasn't Washington, but it was nice.

I heard a tap on the door from inside my room. I turned to see Dr. Martinez in the window. I gestured to the chair beside me, and she came out and sat in it.

She smiled t the sunset. "It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked.

"It's nice." I agreed.

"That's a beautiful guitar." She noted. I nodded. "Can I see it?"

My heart almost stopped by that one simple question. What if she broke it? My most treasured gift from Ari?

_You're being stupid, Max. _I told myself. _Nothing's going to happen to it._

So I reluctantly nodded and handed it over. She looked at it closely and turned it around and read the inscription. "Who's Ari?" she asked.

Um... "He was my uh, cousin." Yeah, that works.

"Was?" she inquired.

I took a deep breath. Don't get emotional Max, just say it. Be tough. "When he was ten, he got sick, and he... he..." I couldn't say it. I could _think_ it, but I couldn't _say_ it. Way to be tough Max.

Comprehension dawned on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said and handed me back my guitar.

I shrugged. "Thanks." I muttered.

"So" She said changing the subject. "Tomorrow night I've planned a get together here so you can meet all our friends." I raised my eyebrows, surprised she was telling me. "Not many people are coming, just our next door neighbours, two of which you've met, and Ella's friend and her parents, that are friends of mine."

"Oh." Was all I said, staring straight forward.

"It'll be nice for you to meet some people your own age, so you won't be completely alone at school in two weeks"-

"School?" I exclaimed staring at her. Her eyes widened. I had forgotten bout that part, I had never gone to a regular school in my life.

I shook my head. "Sorry." I muttered; but she was staring at me. "It's just; I've been homeschooled my whole life, so I forgot that most people go to regular schools." Jeez, it was only the first day, and I already came up as not normal.

School was going to be a problem though. When I was genetically altered the scientists had messed with some nerves in my brain. My IQ was past 230. So, when my dad taught me it all came quickly, so I technically finished high school when I was eleven. Great. Now I had to pretend that I only knew up to age seventeen schooling.

Dr. Martinez smiled her brown eyes bright. Why couldn't mine look like that when I smiled? Not that I do smiled that often. "I'm sure this will be different for you then, I'll make sure Ella helps you through it."

I nodded.

"So Ella tells me that you want to make a mural on our walls." She said.

I nodded again. "Is that okay?" I asked feeling a little weird. I never really needed to ask my Dad for permission for stuff. He trusted my judgment to be safe and smart. I just had to tell him when I was going to be back when I went flying.

She smiled. "Of course! Do you know what you're doing?"

I frowned. "Not yet, I still have to make a rough copy, but I need some ideas first. It'll come to me."

She laughed. It sounded so... familiar. "I meant do you know how you are going to do it, but apparently you've done this kind of thing before."

I thought about it. I had never actually done a painting this big before. It was going to take a while. I just shrugged.

She got up. "Well, Max, if there's anything you need I'm right across the hall, or Ella is the room next to yours. I'm going to do some paper work then get some sleep, I might not be here when you wake up because I go to work early in the morning. Alright?" I nodded. She touched my shoulder. "Goodnight, Max."

Flying. It was honestly one of the best things in the world. It made you feel powerful and strong, like nothing could hurt you.

It was about 2:00 AM, I had to make sure everyone was asleep when I left. I didn't even sneak downstairs like I thought I was going to! Just out to the balcony and jump, and I'm off.

I landed on a cliff, where I sat perched, staring at the moon. It was huge and right in my face. Wow. I could definitely get used to flying here, but overall life? I wasn't so sure.

I looked over the side of the cliff with anticipation. Yup. About a three thousand foot drop.

I sat with my feet on the very edge of the cliff, and spread my wings, keeping them stiff as boards. I leaned forward a little, then using nothing but my legs, I propelled myself off the cliff and started gliding down without flapping my wings. It was exhilarating.

This was currently the only good thing I had going.

Suddenly a breeze came. Adjust the right wing a little and... Ahh! I was being carried by the breeze, and it was effortless.

So I just relaxed and let my worries disappear.

I was first awake. I had always been an early riser, never needing much sleep. To be well rested I needed about four hours of sleep. I got five last night, so I was good.

Since I didn't want to attempt cooking on my own, I turned the light on in my room, grabbed my sketch pad, and sat cross legged in the middle of the floor, staring at the wall.

I sat motionless for at least half an hour. Then it clicked. I would draw the forest behind my house in Washington. It had to be raining in it of course, as it always was.

I immediately started sketching it, with my eyes closed picturing it. How the rain would make droplets on the pine needles that would make it look like diamond facets covering the tree, the infinite number of pine needles and twigs on the forest floor, the wood board that we attached two pieces of rope to for a makeshift swing that Ari would play on...

I opened my eyes and looked down at my work. I could make it life size! It would be almost as if I never left! My picture took in almost every detail of the forest. Dammit. I did it again. My hand had been flying so fast while I was picturing it I didn't make a rough sketch. This should have at least taken me hours to do.

Oh well. I can say that I started it last night and stayed up late working on it.

I heard a knock at my door. "Come in." I said.

Dr. Martinez entered. "Max, I saw your light on, so I wanted to know if you wanted some breakfast." She said. She couldn't have picked better words.

"That would be great." I said with feeling. She smiled. Her eyes zeroed in on my sketch pad.

"You figured something out?" she asked, and I nodded. "Can I see?"

I sighed. I got up and passed the book to her. Her eyes widened. "Max..." she shook her head slightly. "That's amazing! I thought you said it was going to be a rough sketch!"

I shrugged. "I'm kind of a perfectionist." When it came to my art anyways.

Dr Martinez smiled. "Well, Ella won't be up for... Well she might get up tomorrow..." she joked. I smirked slightly. "So how about I whip us up some pancakes?"

I was staring at my other wall trying to figure something out; I had been in the same position for 3 hours.

Ella poked her head in the door. My head whipped around. "Oh, sorry I thought you might be sleeping, cause you were so quiet." She said. I raised an eyebrow, silently asking what she wanted. "Um its 3:00 so everyone's going to be here in an hour."

I gave her a look. "And?"

She looked taken aback by the fact that I wasn't even _trying _ to be nice. Wait. Did I have my glare on?

Yup. But honestly, it wasn't my normal death glare; it was just a hard look. But never the less I softened my facial expressions.

"What about it?" I said, slightly gentler.

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Um aren't you going to change?" she said eyeing my clothes.

What? Were jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie not good enough? "Into what?" I exclaimed.

She hesitated again. "I don't know... a dress or something?"

"Do I look like the kind of girl who owns a dress?" I asked disdainfully. Not to mention taking off my hoodie would show my wings and my scars...

"Uh..." I almost laughed at Ella's expression, it was like my Dad's when he had the "talk" with me. Like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

I gave her a steady look. "Ella, I'm not going to change what I'm wearing, and if you'll excuse me, I have a wall to stare at for the next hour."

Wow. I'm just so much fun aren't I?

"Max, some guests are here!" Dr. Martinez called up the stairs.

I tensed up. More people I don't know who could possibly try to kill me. Fun stuff right there.

I sighed, got up and trudged out of my room and down the stairs.

Ella was talking to some girl who looked about as preppy as she did, clad in all pink. I had to admit she was just as pretty as Ella, mocha skin and auburn coloured eyes.

Dr. Martinez was talking to a man and a woman who had similar features to the girl Ella was talking to, her parents I assumed.

"Ah, here's Max." Dr. Martinez said, smiling at me. I managed a weak grimace.

The parents smiled at me, but I was not prepared for what their daughter was about to do. She stepped in front of me with a big smile on her face and said "OHMIGOSH hi! I'm Monique Ella's best friend but most people call me Nudge I'm not sure why but I like it so you can go ahead and call me Nudge you're Maximum right but everyone calls you Max well I guess that's not much of a nickname since it was just shortening your name so it's easier to say but anyways it's great to meet you Ella has been so excited the last few weeks cause she was getting an older sister just like she's always wanted did you know that she had an older sister but she was kidnapped jeez what kind of people would do that"- I was staring at her with what probably look like a bewildered expression when a white hand went over her mouth. I looked up to see Iggy.

"Jeez, turn off the Nudge channel." He said to her.

"Nice to meet you." I said brushing past her, and muttered "Thanks Iggy."

"MMMGHNMH" Nudge said from behind Iggy's hand.

Behind Iggy and Nudge were, what I assumed to be, the rest of the Walkers.

There was Anne, who stood smiling at me, and a man that I guessed was her husband, with black cropped hair with a bit of grey in it, black eyes, and tannish skin.

But then there was their son. It must have been Iggy's twin brother or something because they looked exactly the same age. Although, Iggy looked a lot like his mother, where this boy obviously resembled his father.

The boy's skin was olive toned, darker than Mr. Walker's, and his black hair was longish, and flopped over one of his eyes.

The eye that I could see was the same black as his dad's, but they were very different. This boy's eyes were deep, like your very soul could drown in them if you got lost in them for too long.

Wow. I just sounded incredibly corny there. Maybe I could use that as song lyrics...

Anyways. My little reverie took only seconds, I heard Anne say something about Angela and Geoffrey being at a friend's house, but I really didn't care what she was saying.

Dr. Martinez said "Max, you've met James and Anne, this is Peter," she pointed to the Dad "and Nick." I didn't make eye contact.

"Hi." I muttered lamely, and went to sit on the couch, and wait for this to be over.

I felt everyone's eye on me. What? I said hi! I could've just ignored them.

"Yes, erm, well why don't you all go into Max's room, while we talk." Dr. Martinez said.

I sighed and motioned for all the kids to come with me.

The Nick kid came up next to me as we went up the stairs.

"I prefer Fang." He said. I was surprised at how nice a voice he had, low and husky, but still smooth.

"And am I suppose to know what that means?" I said sarcastically, but still shaken at his voice.

He smirked and glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes. "It's a nickname."

I rolled my eyes, why did everyone here have a nickname completely different from their normal name? "Of course." I muttered.

"This is my room." I said to all of them as they came into it.

"OMG Ella you did such a good job it was a good choice not going with the pink even though I think it would have been nicer but pink doesn't suit Max at all it seems."

I stared longingly at the balcony, wanting to just jump off it and fly away. All these people were starting to make me claustrophobic.

Instead I slumped on the couch and waited for the interrogations- I mean getting to know one another- to begin.

"So, Max are these your parents?" Iggy asked, pointing to the picture of Steve and Mary Ride.

"Yup." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nick-I mean Fang- looking at my guitars.

"Look at the electric all you want, but the acoustic is off limits." I said not even looking at him

He rolled his eyes and picked up my electric.

I am not someone to judge people. I mean I have _wings _for God's sake. But there was just something about this Fang guy that ticked me off. He seemed so obnoxious.

"Max you and Fang seem to have so much in common I mean you both play guitar and Ella said you play piano and so does Fang he's really good at it and especially guitar and Fang draws too though I don't think he's as good as you are I was looking through the sketch book on your desk and"-

"You what?" I almost yelled at Nudge. It was more of loud talking than yelling.

Everyone froze. I wasn't _that_ scary was I? But needless to say, in that sketchbook were lots of pictures of kids with wings, where I used to live, my Dad and Ari. Hopefully Ella didn't see it.

I cleared my throat and spoke quieter than before. "Um, can have it back? It's kind of personal." I said snatching it away from her.

Good. The page she was at wasn't at my dad or Ari yet. Just kids with wings. Great.

"Hey Max how come you draw lots of Angels?" Nudge asked, once she regained her voice.

I shrugged. Just then Fang made a _terrible _noise with my guitar.

Well at least _I_ thought so. "God what did you do to it?" I asked coming over to him. It was plugged in.

"What?" he asked. Oh, come on! It was so out of tune!

"Do you not know how to tune a guitar?" I asked him.

"It sounded fine to me." Iggy piped up.

"Me too." Ella said.

I rolled my eyes and took the guitar from Fang. Sounded fine. Bah!

I played around with it until it sounded perfect. I did a little guitar solo with a whammy on the end.

Everyone was staring at me. What? Was I that bad? Even Fang's eyes were wide with shock.

"What? I hate it when it's out of tune." I shrugged.

"How did you get it to sound like that? It was flawless!" Fang said. There was something else in his eyes besides shock; envy? Not quite sure. In truth I have better hearing than humans, so they can't quite tell the difference when they tune their instruments.

"Max you were amazing! How did you learn to play like that?" Iggy exclaimed.

"I just like to practice, I guess." I shrugged for like the thousandth time this afternoon.

"You should hear her play piano!" Ella said excitedly.

"Yes, Max let's hear you play piano." Fang said challengingly. What was with this jerk?

I sighed. There was no getting out of it. I placed my guitar gently into the stand, and walk over to the grand piano that I had formed an attachment to.

"I'm a bit out of practice." I muttered. "What do you want me to play?"

"Anything!" Ella exclaimed.

I thought about it. I couldn't play one of _my_ songs; that would give too much away. And they wouldn't be satisfied with one of my scales. So I decided to play one of my favourites: Beethoven's Für Elise.

I closed my eyes and started to play. It was like riding a bicycle, you never really forgot. The grand piano played it so much better than anything I've ever played on before.

I got lost in the music for a few minutes, but then I realized everyone was staring at me. I stopped abruptly.

What were their problems? Hadn't they heard the song before? I thought it was famous. Nudge looked like she was about to bust if she didn't start babbling soon, Iggy's mouth was open slightly, Ella was shining with what looked to be pride, and Fang was... Well... I couldn't really tell. He had on the stone face that I always used when I was hiding my emotions.

Well this had started out _wonderfully._

**Hope you enjoyed! What do you guys think of the rivalry between Max and Fang that's starting? Do not fret! All will end in Fax. You know, eventually. OOOH! Spoiler* You get to meet Angel and Gazzy in the next chapter... I think. Anyways. RnR!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! I am so sorry it's been so long! I've just started school, so it took me awhile to get used to it and get writing again. SO. I am uber excited about this chapter cause you get to see a new side of Max hat you haven't seen before. Well you have, but only in brief flashes. Anyways. In this chapter she writes a song but its not actually in here, it will be in the next one. And the song that IS in here is by the glee cast. You with find that I am a gleek but I'm a gleek that adores punk rock. Ans I worked hard on this chapter so... Enjoy! RnR! ^.^**

Chapter seven:

The next couple of days I learned something about Ella. She ALWAYS had friends over.

Nudge seemed like a sweet kid, but that mouth of hers could make anyone snap if they were the victim of it for too long.

Iggy was kind of devious but had a good heart. Although, he _was_ a sexist pig. Fang was obnoxious and stupid. He always acted like he was better than me.

Well he was. He had a normal life and wasn't a freak.

About a week after the party I found out that Fang and Iggy weren't the Walker's only kids.

Ella had insisted I watch a movie with her, and to be honest I didn't mind. I had never really watched that many movies before and they were entertaining. And, though I didn't like to admit it, Ella was good company.

"So are you sure you don't want to go to the mall with Nudge and me in half an hour?" she asked for the thousandth time.

The thought of being in a place that big with so many people had me shuddering so I declined again.

Just then the door bell rang. "Huh, Nudge isn't due for twenty minutes. I wonder who it is." She said with a puzzled look on her face, and walked to the door.

I immediately tensed up, ready to punch someone's lights out. What if it was Itex? So I walked up with Ella just in case.

Ugh. It was just Fang and Iggy. They stood there with disgruntled looks on their faces and Fang's only got worse when he saw me. Jerk.

Wait, why did I care? Never mind.

"Ella can you do us a favour? PLEASE!" Iggy begged. I almost snorted at the way he was looking at Ella, it was obvious they had crushes on each other, they just didn't know it.

She raised an eyebrow. "I'll answer when I know what it is." Yup. Ella and I are definitely related.

Fang rolled his eyes and walked in front of Iggy. "We made plans to go to a movie and Angela's play date fell through, so we're stuck babysitting. Can you watch her while we go?" He spoke in his traditional bored tone. The one where he thinks you'll do whatever he says.

Ella bit her lip. "Erm, sorry guys but I have plans; Nudge is coming in half an hour." Their faces fell.

"I could watch her for awhile." I volunteered. Okay. So I have a weakness for little kids. It's just, well they're so innocent. They're the ones that needed to be protected. "I used to watch my... cousin." I shrugged.

Ella and Iggy's faces lit up. But Fang surprised me by snorting. "And look how well _that_ turned out." He muttered, which would have been loud enough for Iggy, and maybe Ella to hear, but not me who was across the hall.

But that's beside the point. The point was that I _had_ heard it and I was seeing red.

HOW. DARE. HE.

My whole body was shaking with anger. I had put up with this boy's glares and overall rude attitude the past week.

But he had just crossed the line. Dr. Martinez must have told them that I have a dead "cousin" that I was close to. And he had the nerve to say that.

I clenched my fists and walked over to him slowly. He looked at me questioningly at first but then there was fear in his eyes. As there should be.

"You don't know shit." I spat in a dark voice, and forced myself to turn around and run up to my room, instead of killing him.

I vaguely heard Ella shouting at him, but I didn't care. I also didn't care that I was running faster than a human should be able to. I needed to get away from them. Get away from this life.

_Daddy where are you? _I thought.

I grabbed my guitar, like I always did when I was upset, or had to get my emotions out. I wasn't one to talk about my feelings so I would make music to represent them.

The words were in my head. The music was flowing from my fingers. So I decided to just roll with it.

There was a light tapping at my door. It was Ella. Her footsteps sounded like a brush being pulled through hair.

"What?" I muttered from my fetal position on the sofa.

"It's me." Ella said. _If I didn't know it was you I wouldn't have answered._

"Come in." I sighed.

Ella stepped through the door with a wide eyed scared expression. It was easy to read. She was going to defend Fang but was scared of my reaction.

"Hedidn'tknow." She ground out in one syllable. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't really care." I muttered staring at the blank wall.

"He's really not that bad of a guy, Max." She said, almost pleading me to believe her.

I snorted.

"He just thought- well I don't know _what_ he thought but he didn't know that your cousin was dead. Though it was still wrong of him to say that and... I yelled at him?" She said, almost as if it were a question.

"Thanks." I muttered, not really meaning it. I didn't care if he didn't know, or that Ella yelled at him; what he said was true. What happened with Ari didn't turn out well, nothing in my life would.

"Max there's something else..." Ella said looking at the ground sheepishly.

"What?" I snapped. Why was there always something else?

"Well, you seemed eager to watch Angela so I said it was fine is she came over, but if you want I can call them and tell them no." She said quickly. Was talking to me really that nerve wracking?

I sighed. As angry as I was I couldn't say no to watch the little girl. These people had lives, even if I didn't; maybe it's my job to help them.

"It's fine. I can watch her." I muttered.

"You sure? Cause I can cancel if you want." Why was Ella so concerned about me? She didn't even know me.

Just them the doorbell rang. "Go have fun." I assured her.

She smiled. "Angela's downstairs watching TV I told her to come up here if she needs anything so it shouldn't be any trouble." She informed me.

"Bye Ella."

I went downstairs to the living room in search of a little girl, and I found one curled up on the couch not really watching the TV. She was tiny. I don't think she was four feet. She had long corn silk curls that draped around her, to her waist.

I sat down next to her on the couch. She didn't look up. Was she shy?

"Whatcha watching?" I asked in a voice that... I hadn't really used in around two years.

She looked up at me with about the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. They reminded me a lot of Ari's, but they weren't the same blue.

I think that was the exact moment when she wrapped me around her finger. "I don't know, Ella put it on."

"Ah." I said. The silence lasted for a few minutes with the TV's strange characters making goofy noises and blunders.

"Are you Ella's new big sister?" suddenly came out of Angela's mouth. She had a sweet bell like voice, which I could tell was going to be impossible to resist.

I looked at her wryly. "Hopefully. Maybe I'm just a stranger in here."

This seemed to alert her. "Nuh uh! My brothers said that you were really pretty and you had long princessy hair." She stated matter of factly. "So you gotta be Max-I-am." Pretty? Princessy? Yeah right.

But despite my doubts my mouth suddenly did something that I didn't expect. A smile broke across my face. My first smile in about a week and a half. This little girl was adorable. "It's Maximum, but you can call me Max, okay?"

She nodded. "I'm Angel." She stated.

"I thought it was Angela." I said, confused.

She shook her head vigorously and her curls swished around her head like a halo. "Angel." She insisted.

"Angel it is." The name seemed to suit her somehow, more so than Angela.

We watched the TV in silence for awhile, but Angel wasn't paying attention, she was just staring dejectedly at it.

"Hey Angel?" I asked.

"Uh huh?"

"Do you want to do something fun?"

Angel and I had made our way to the park, with her little hand in mine. There was no one there. Perfect.

"Angel do you want to learn how to fly?" I asked her. And hold your horses. No. I was not about to show her my wings. Jeez, have some faith. This was something I used to do with Ari all the time.

She nodded excitedly. I had figured she would want to, she was an Angel she should know how to fly.

I brought her over to the swings.

"Okay do you know how to jump off the swings while they're moving?"

She grinned. "Mommy says I'm not supposed to but I do it when she's not looking." She said, then thought about it and concluded "But not when they go really high, honest."

I smiled. "Okay, show me, but be careful."

She jumped up onto the swing and started pumping. After a few minutes she was swing about halfway up. I watched in amazement as she jumped off the swing and landed perfectly on the balls of her feet in the sand.

I clapped. "That was very graceful." I said, resulting in a huge toothy grin.

I knelt down to her level. "Now, what we're going to do is, you're going to hold on to the swing as tight as you can, and I'm going to push you. When you get to the absolute top I want you to jump off, and you're going to fly."

"Really?" She asked wide-eyed.

I nodded. "But wait until I say jump okay?"

Angel got onto the swing and I pushed her, not with my full strength but she was still already swinging much higher than before.

I went around to the swing set and walked a few metres away, I calculated, judging by her strength and the velocity I got the swing going factored into the slight breeze, this is where she will land.

"Alright are you ready?" I called.

I heard a faint squeal of laughter that I took as a yes.

"On the count of three, one... two... three... Jump!" Angel launched herself out of the swing perfectly and was gliding in the air straight towards me. She had this look of pure joy on her face that reminded me of Ari once again.

Angel stayed in the air for about a 5 second hang time and landed into my waiting arms. Angel laughed gleefully and clapped her hands. "Did you see that Max? I was flying!" she shrieked.

I laughed. It felt weird to me; laughing without my Dad or Ari, they were the only people I remembered laughing with. Although, at the same time laughing with Angel felt effortless, like I just had to switch a knob and my happy side turned on.

"I told you, you could!" I said tapping her nose with the hand that wasn't holding her. "But you have to promise me something." I said, back to seriousness. Angel nodded. "You can't ever try to do that without me around, not even with your brothers or your mom and dad. Only me. Okay?"

She smiled "Promise."

"You swear?"

Angel held out her pinkie finger like she was raising her right hand and swearing and oath. "Pinkie swear." She declared.

I laughed and linked my pinkie with hers. "Now that that's settled, wanna do it again?"

I watched Angel out of the corner of my eye as I was pouring her milk to go with the cookies Valencia had made earlier in the week. She made the best cookies in the world by the way, but back to Angel.

Despite the fact that she seemed to be having fun with me she looked a little gloomy.

"What's the matter Ange?" I asked her when we were done eating.

She shrugged uncharacteristically. "I promise I won't tell anybody." I coaxed.

She held out her smallest finger once again. "Pinkie swear?"

I smiled and link our fingers. "Pinkie swear." I lifted her into my arms, sat on the couch and placed her on my lap. "Now what is it?"

Her bottom lip quivered. "My brothers don't like me anymore." She whimpered.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Why do you think that?"

She sniffed. "Cause today I told Meagan I didn't wanna play with her cause I wanted to play with my big brothers like we used to, and when I told em they got all upset and asked somebody else to play with me." She paused and snuggled into me. "But I don't care no more; I had fun with you today." But despite her words there was still a sad pout on her face.

I smiled in spite of myself. "Ange, I'm pretty sure you do care."

"A little." She sniffled.

"I'm sure your brothers still love you, don't worry about that."

"Then how come they don't wanna play with me?" she wailed. And just like that she was crying.

"Aw Ange, its okay." I said, rubbing her back.

Then I remembered something. Whenever Ari used to get upset or was crying I would play him a song that I wrote. "Ange, I'll be right back okay?" I said once she had calmed down a little.

I went upstairs and grabbed my guitar. I considered getting the sheet music, but I didn't think I'd be too rusty.

Angel looked up with interest as I came to sit with her. "Do you want to hear a song that used to make my cousin feel a lot better when he was sad?" I asked. She nodded, tears still streaming down her face.

_Flashback:_

_I stumbled across the dark hallway hearing sobbing._

_My Dad, without heightened senses couldn't hear it. _

_I opened the door to my little brother's room just a crack, to see him sitting up in his space ship pyjamas crying._

_I rushed my thirteen-year old self over to him, and stroked his sweaty bangs away from his forehead. "What's wrong Air-bear?" I murmured holding him close._

"_I had a bad dream. The men in white coats were coming at me with needles. They wanted to hurt me." He whispered, soaking my shirt with tears._

"_Hey." I said pulling his chin up with one finger. "It was just a dream. A dream can't hurt you, it can only upset you. And what do we do when we're upset?" I asked._

"_We smile." He sniffed, he big blues solemn._

"_Exactly." I said tapping his nose._

"_Max can you sing me to sleep?"_

"_Sure."_

I thought of Ari as I started to play the opening of the song that had eluded me for years, it just felt effortless, natural. Like so many things Angel had brought out in me today this was something else that had repapered.

So I started to sing:

_Smile though' your heart is aching,_

_Smile Even though it's breaking,_

_When there are clouds in the sky- You'll get by,_

_If you Smile through your pain and sorrow,_

_Smile and maybe tomorrow_

_You'll see the sun come shining through- For you._

_Light up your face with gladness,_

_Hide every trace of sadness,_

_Although' a tear may be ever so near,_

_That's the time (that's the time) you must keep on trying,_

_Smile- What's the use of crying,_

_You'll find that life is still worthwhile,_

_If you just smile._

_Oooh Oooh Yeah_

_That's the time (that's the time) you must keep on trying,_

_Smile- What's the use of crying,_

_You'll find that life is still worthwhile,_

_If you just smile._

_Smile though' your heart is aching,_

_Smile Even though it's breaking,_

_When there are clouds in the sky- You'll get by,_

_That's the time (that's the time) you must keep on trying,_

_Smile- What's the use of crying,_

_You'll find that life is still worthwhile,_

_If you just_

_You'll find that life is still worthwhile,_

_If you just smile._

By the time I had finished Angel's tears had dried and she was doing her best to be happy.

"Now." I said putting my guitar aside and pulling her close. "I don't want you to be upset about our brothers. They're the ones missing out, so we're going to have as much fun as we can without them." This declaration earned me a large grin that would stay there for the rest of the afternoon.


	9. Chapter 8

**I know. I fail. I've been really busy lately, sorry. This chapter nothing really happens, but you learn more about Max, and the others learn more about Max, and you see a slightly different Fang. So it is relevant, but not amazing. The song she sings in case you didn't know is Welcome to my life, Simple Plan. And the song in the last chapter was Smile (Charlie Chaplin) by glee cast.**

**Btw, I've been looking for a beta reader so I have someone to make my chapters better and someone to kick my butt every now and then to get writing. Nothing official yet, but I've asked one person who looks promising.**

**Anyways RnR, enjoy,**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter eight:

I was being immature. I understood that, but... For the first time in a long time I felt good.

Angel and I making a pillow fort, fun, and nothing wrong with it if we put everything back. Angel and I having a water gun fight? I'll admit a little unorthodox but she had a good time. But running up and down the stairs and around the house with her on my shoulders? I was being immature.

I hadn't had this much fun with anyone else in a long time. The reason being I refused to acknowledge for fear of spoiling my mood.

I tossed Angel lightly on the couch, where she landed with a light thump, giggling hysterically. I would've started laughing too, but my ears perked up at sounds from the front of the street, I could hear through the open window.

Ella's voice came. "Fang, I know you didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but although she seems tough, Max has been through a lot and she's my sister now, so I would appreciate it if you would _try_ to be nice to her." They were talking about me? I thought I would have been old news by now.

I had to strain my ears to hear Fang's response which was a quiet "Yeah, sure."

"It would help it she at least tried to be friendly." I heard Iggy say. This kind of surprised me, I thought Iggy was kind of nice, he didn't seem like he begrudged me for not being the friendliest person around.

"Iggy! She has lost so much in her life, how can you blame her?" Ella defended me. I almost smiled. Although I didn't deserve it, I liked the fact Ella was sticking up for me.

Fang decided to pipe up. "Honestly Ella, have you even seen her smile? Has she even said more than a few sentences to you?" Jerk.

"She's... I can tell she's trying! I mean for Pete's sake give her some credit! She even looked after _your _little sister for you!"

He snorted. "She probably just sat in her room while Angela watched TV."

"Hey, Fang, you're going too far." I heard Iggy warn. Just then there was a tugging on my sleeve.

"What is it Max?" Angel asked. I gave her a pained smile.

"It's nothing Ange, um; your brothers are probably going to be here soon, so why don't you wait here for them?" I asked hopefully.

"Max, don't you like me anymore?" Angel all but whimpered. Damn. She played hard ball.

I sighed. "I guess I can stay here while we wait for them." Angel grinned.

"Thanks Max!" she cheered. I rolled my eyes. Manipulative little girl. Adorable, but still manipulative.

When Fang, Iggy, and Ella came through the door, to my surprise Angel ran straight to Fang.

He chuckled slightly and said "Hey kiddo."

Angel proceeded to launch into a story about how much fun she had with me etc. And the look on Fang's face? Priceless.

Angel skipped over to me with a big grin on her face. "Max are you gonna play with me again soon?" she asked.

I let a small smile grace my lips as I bent down to her level. "If I don't have anything extremely important to do and your mom says it's okay, then sure. Anytime." I said, tapping her nose.

"Yay!" she exclaimed, threw her arms around my neck and planted a somewhat sticky kiss on my cheek. I let out a small laugh that I couldn't contain, and ruffled her hair.

But then it was over. It was like a cold bucket of water going over my head, but instead of water, it was reality. My face turned to stone and I looked up at three faces that had their jaws to the floor. "I'll see you later, Angela." I said, not looking at her, got up turned on my heel, and went to my room.

Like almost every night I was sitting on my balcony strumming my acoustic guitar.

I strummed and strummed, angry, thinking back on what Fang said earlier. I could practically hear him sneering "And look how well _that_ turned out."

The song I had come up with after he said that came to mind. The song was exactly what I would like to say to him, but I know I can't.

So I began to sing:

_Do you ever feel like breaking down?__  
__Do you ever feel out of place?__  
__Like somehow you just don't belong__  
__And no one understands you__  
__Do you ever wanna run away?__  
__Do you lock yourself in your room?__  
__With the radio on turned up so loud__  
__That no one hears you screaming___

_No you don't know what it's like__  
__When nothing feels all right__  
__You don't know what it's like__  
__To be like me___

_To be hurt__  
__To feel lost__  
__To be left out in the dark__  
__To be kicked when you're down__  
__To feel like you've been pushed around__  
__To be on the edge of breaking down__  
__And no one's there to save you__  
__No you don't know what it's like__  
__Welcome to my life___

_Do you wanna be somebody else?__  
__Are you sick of feeling so left out?__  
__Are you desperate to find something more?__  
__Before your life is over__  
__Are you stuck inside a world you hate?__  
__Are you sick of everyone around?__  
__With their big fake smiles and stupid lies__  
__While deep inside you're bleeding___

_No you don't know what it's like__  
__When nothing feels all right__  
__You don't know what it's like__  
__To be like me___

_To be hurt__  
__To feel lost__  
__To be left out in the dark__  
__To be kicked when you're down__  
__To feel like you've been pushed around__  
__To be on the edge of breaking down__  
__And no one's there to save you__  
__No you don't know what it's like__  
__Welcome to my life___

_No one ever lied straight to your face__  
__And no one ever stabbed you in the back__  
__You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay__  
__Everybody always gave you what you wanted__  
__You never had to work it was always there__  
__You don't know what it's like, what it's like___

_To be hurt__  
__To feel lost__  
__To be left out in the dark__  
__To be kicked when you're down__  
__To feel like you've been pushed around__  
__To be on the edge of breaking down__  
__And no one's there to save you__  
__No you don't know what it's like (what it's like)___

_To be hurt__  
__To feel lost__  
__To be left out in the dark__  
__To be kicked when you're down__  
__To feel like you've been pushed around__  
__To be on the edge of breaking down__  
__And no one's there to save you__  
__No you don't know what it's like__  
__Welcome to my life__  
__Welcome to my life__  
_

"Welcome to my life." I uttered with the last chord._  
_

"You know, that was kind of depressing." A smooth voice came from my left.

If I hadn't trained myself not to respond to surprises, I would have jumped out of my skin.

Instead I turned my head with my chin up towards to, ironically enough; Fang, leaning out of what I assumed was his bedroom window. "I don't think I asked for your opinion." I snapped. "Tooth, right?" I asked just to aggravate him.

He seemed to ignore me completely and said "I've never heard that song before, who's it by?"

I looked down. "No one. I've got to go now." I said turning around towards the doors to my room.

"Wait, Max!" he called.

"What?"

His stunning black eyes seemed to melt as sincerity washed over his face. Huh. Poetic. I'm turning into a sap. "I'm sorry." He muttered. "I didn't know about your cousin... and I thought that maybe they just kicked you out or something, which still doesn't change that fact that it was a stupid thing to say."

I rolled my eyes. "You were right anyways." I muttered before going into my room.

I looked at the wall with a satisfied smirk on my face. I had just finished painting one side of my room, while the other still remained blank.

Looking at my mural made me feel like; if I turned around I would see Ari running out of our house in his bright yellow jacket gleefully and Dad coming with two umbrellas, knowing I wouldn't think of bringing one for myself. I felt at home.

I walked over to Ella's room and knocked. The door opened almost immediately as Nudge's face came into my sight. "OMG Max are you done me and Ella have been so excited to see it and ohmigosh why are you all covered in paint and stuff you know the green on your cheek kind of matches your eyes thats kind of weird huh so i was gonna say you should totally let Ella and I give you a makeover that would be soooooo awesome"-

"Nudge, can you just get Ella, please?" I said pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger.

Ella came out with her eyes shhingin with excitement. She gave me a big grin. "You're done?" she asked.

"Yup." I said popping the 'P'

When Nudge and Ella saw my mural their response was the best thing I could have hoped for, that I hadn't even dreamed they were capable of.

Silence. Sheer and utter silence.

They just stood there with their mouths hanging open.

This was turning out to be a great day.

Later that day there was a knock to my bedroom door. Ella poked her head in. "Max, there's someone at the door for you." She said.

All my senses went on high alert. The school had found me. Who else could be at the door?

Not wanting to worry Ella, I warily went down the stairs.

I took a deep breath, opened the door, and saw...

A delivery guy, who looked out of shape and in his forties. Nope, not an eraser; even the _school _couldn't make a disguise that good.

"Um, yeah?" I asked uncertainly.

He looked down at his clip board. "Are you Maximum Ride?" He asked with a disbelieving look on his face at the name.

I nodded. "Sign here." he muttered, shoving the clip board in my face. When I was done her said "Your package is in the driveway, have a nice day." Clearly, he did not like his job. Probably was fired from a corporate job, by the way he tucked his shirt in, and acted with the better than thou attitude.

Now, what would there be a package for me in the driveway?

"What did you get Max?" Ella said, coming up behind me.

I shrugged and wordlessly went outside.

My jaw almost dropped. The only evidence of surprise on my face was that my eyes widened a fraction of an inch.

In the driveway was my blood red MV Agusta F4CC. I walked over to examine it. Yep it was mine, small scratches on the sides that I had always been meaning to fix were evidence of that.

I ran my hand over the scratches; I had gotten them riding my bike through the forest, where branches and pine needles scraped the sides.

On the seat was an envelope, with a coded message on the front, not including the address. I knew that code too well. The word said _Max_.

I opened it; the contents were more codes that were like reading a second language to me.

_Sweetheart-_

_I hope you're doing okay._

_Actually, I hope you doing fantastic, but knowing you and your stubborn attitude that's probably not the case._

_I thought you might want this to get to and from school, since I don't think you would be very happy riding the bus. There's a licence enclosed in the envelope-_

I searched the envelope for more items and sure enough, there was me- green eyed me- looking back at me. This licence was no doubt forged, but I don't think the police would notice the difference. Besides, they would never be able to catch up to me to give me a ticket. Also in the envelope was my key.

_-so there shouldn't be a problem. _

_I got to my safe location easily and without a hitch, so I'm fine. I miss you though._

_I am going to call you at exactly 5:00 PM on November 2__nd__, so make sure your phone is charged._

_-I love you so much, Max. I really hope your adjusting well._

_Love, Dad._

I smiled, folded the letter and pocketed it along with my licence.

I looked over my shoulder and saw that Ella's jaw was practically on the floor with regards to my motorcycle.

I checked my watch: 2:48 PM. I swung my leg over my bike and started it up. It ran as smooth as it did after my last tune-up.

"Tell Valencia I'll be back by five!" I shouted at Ella over the engine. And just like that, I was flying.

Well, as close as I could on the ground, of course.


	10. Chapter 9

**Alrighty. I really have no excuse for the late update this time. Sorry. But they should some sooner, the chapters I mean. Anyways, the previous beta reader I asked was a no go. But I've asked another! And she looks even more promising. Autumn... something or other. Thas her name. Well not exactly but... You know what? Enjoy the Chapter.**

Chapter nine:

Back to school.

Those three words had been spinning around in my head all day, making me nauseous. To most kids back to school meant a bit of grumbling, going shopping for supplies and facing was had become inevitable every year, since they were four years old.

I, however, was a different story. I told Ella and Valencia that I was feeling sick (which wasn't really a lie), thus I could not accompany them to back to school shopping. So scratch that off the previous normal list. Instead of grumbling I was having a hysterical freak-out; trying as hard as I could not to roll up in a ball, and start hyperventilating. That's the second thing to cross off the normal list. Finally instead of facing an unfortunate yearly tradition, I was being thrust into a whole new experience which probably wouldn't end well. Strike three, I'm out.

I was currently sitting on my bed trying to read poetry, using all my will-power not to start pacing.

Why don't I just do one of the two activities that always relax me, you may ask? For starters I can't go flying during the day. Duh. Secondly, I don't trust myself with my guitars. They both still had their original strings, and in my mood, I might break one.

One may also wonder why I am so nervous about school. Can't I take on at least fifteen full grown men, and win? Yes, yes I can. But take me to a place where people are so concerned about trivial things like, dating, what color their dying their hair, how are they going to cheat on their tests, etcetera, I would start bouncing off the walls listening to all their griping. And believe me, they will gripe.

Next cause of alarm, St. John's Heights is the only high school within a two-hundred mile radius of this town; thus it will be packed with kids. Packed with kids equals packed hallways, packed hallways equals claustrophobic Max, and finally, claustrophobic Max equals major insanity, in which I may hurt people.

Also, won't it be obvious that I stick out? I mean,I probably dress differently than them, not to mention my personality leaves something to be desired compared to an average teenager's. My mind may be a problem too. I doubt I will be able to 'play dumb'.

Lastly, any place that has the same name as the hell-hole that ruined my life, killed my brother, and pushed my father into hiding has to be bad.

I sighed. Maybe being cooped up inside was making me even more on-edge.

I made my way downstairs with the poetic styling's of Robert Frost, my all time favourite poet.

I sat in one of the rocking chairs looking at the beautiful scene. The large willow tree's leaves swayed lightly in the breeze and the flowers blasted an array of bright colours across the lawn.

I stared at the tire hanging from the tree. Then out of nowhere I was walking across the lawn, book in hand, over to the swing.

Thinking back to the last time I was in this swing a lot had changed. I mean I was way older now, I wasn't nearly as happy, and I didn't have to hang on for dear life anymore, for fear of falling out.

I was broken out of my reverie by a screech of "Total! Come back!" I looked over to see Angel frantically trying to catch a black Scottie dog who looked like he was having the time of his life.

I chuckled internally at the sight of Angel running as fast as she could, but still not catching an animal with such short legs.

As if it was instinctual, I slid through the tire, dropped my book on the ground walked in the dog's path and said "Stop."

And get this- it stopped.

Maybe because I'm part animal, I have a way with animals...

"Thanks Max!" Angel shouted gleefully as she ran over and picked up the little dog.

I smiled at her, "What's his name?" I asked scratching behind his ears.

"Total." She said.

My eyebrows furrowed, "Why'd you name him that?"

She looked up at me all wide eyed and innocent. "I didn't name him, that was the man at the store said his name was. He said 'The total is $168.'"

I laughed at her reasoning. "I think it's a beautiful name." I said and ruffled her hair.

The smile on my face slid off as someone else came outside the Walker house.

"Angel? I found his leash!" Fang called. Even though there were several times when the Walkers had come over for dinner since Fang heard my song, he and I never spoke. Get this; the Walker's have two sets of twins. Angel's twin is named Geoffrey, but most people, even his parents call him the Gasman, or Gazzy. Don't freaking ask.

Fang's eyes widened as he saw Angel with me. "Since when does he call you Angel?" I asked the little girl.

"Fang was the one that said I was an angel so he started calling me that, and I only let him and you call me that." I was about to ask why, but that was when Fang walked up rubbing the back of his neck, not looking at me. Coward.

"Uh, hey Max." He said, still not looking at me.

You know how much I didn't like this guy? I completely ignored him. "I have to go Ange, I'll see you later ok?" I said.

"Can't you play with us Max? Pleeeeeeease!" She said, sicking her Bambi eyes on me.

Do not make eye contact, do not make eye contact.

"Another time, Angel."

-*-*8_8_

"Valencia can I talk to you?" I asked.

She looked up from her work. "What is it Max?"

I took a deep breath. I'll just be blunt. "Valencia, you know how you lost a daughter all those years ago?"

She raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "What about her?"

I gulped. "I'm her."

Valencia just shrugged, unfazed. "Where did you go?" Why didn't she even care?

"I went to a place where they gave me these." I unfurled my wings.

I watch in horror as she recoiled in disgust. "What are _those_?"

All of a sudden Ella appeared. "Ew, my sister is like one of those side show people from the circus."

Little Angel and Gazzy appeared, and ran away, afraid. "No! I won't hurt you!" I exclaimed.

Iggy and Nudge showed up, and Iggy whispered "Those things sticking out are so gross." And Nudge nodded.

Fang appeared out of nowhere and said "I always knew you were a freak." And crossed his arms.

Then Ari showed up. "_Ari?" _I asked in disbelief. He looked at me with scorn.

"It's your fault I'm dead, Max." He stated with conviction. No, I wanted to say. But words could not leave my mouth, as I was screaming.

My dad was lying on the ground, chalky skinned and dead. "It's all your fault, Max." Ari said.

But then Valencia was speaking again, quietly, as if she were far away. "Max. _Max. _Max, sweetheart, it's okay. Wake up sweetie. Max."

I sat up in bed with a start, breathing hard. I felt a warm hand rubbing my shoulders. Mom. I couldn't help thinking that; it was just such a mom-like thing to do, chasing away the bad dreams.

Shit! I thought as I eyed the contact case n my bed side table; I couldn't sleep with the damn things in.

Fast as a bullet, I grabbed the case, placed my contacts in and looked up at my mom with wide green eyes.

Dr. Martinez was the picture of concern as she wiped the sweat and loose strands of hair away from my forehead. "Max, honey, are you okay? You were screaming your head off."

"I'm sorry I woke you up, Valencia." I said still panting slightly.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't care that you woke me up Max, I just want to know if you're okay."

Alright. I was touched. Even though the biological component of her mothering me was there, this woman barely knew me, and she was being, well, my mom. "I took a deep breath. Yeah, I'm fine Valencia, just a dream."

She stroked my bangs out of my face again "You want to tell me what it was about?"

Lie. Where is the lie? Um... Aha!

"Airplanes." I muttered. Her face creased with worry.

"Do you want me to stay in here tonight?" She offered. My eyes almost popped out of my head. I remember when I had bad dreams when I was little I would run o my Dad's room to sleep, so I would feel safe. And now, roughly ten years later I could do it with my mom.

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind, Val." She smiled and wrapped her arms around me.

I fell asleep instantly, contacts and all.

*-*-8_8_

I walked out of the front door apprehensively.

I glared up at the sun as the heat radiated down towards me. Ella had left for school earlier on the bus, saying if I needed anything to call her.

I guess she heard the screaming.

"Ask her." I heard the voice coming from the Walker's house; the window was open.

"But Mom"- Fang protested.

"Nick you will ask her or so help me I will"- Anne Walker's voice said.

"Alright, I'll ask." He sighed.

I could practically see her smug smile. "Have a great first day sweetheart. Stay out of trouble James."

"You see how she always assumes it's me who will cause trouble?" Iggy muttered as they trudged out of the house.

"Oh, hey, uh, Max." Fang said. Was this how all our conversations would start?

Iggy was standing stiff beside him, like he was _trying_ to make it awkward. And of course he had a goofy smile on his face.

"Hi." I stated crossing my arms.

Iggy jabbed Fang in the ribs with his elbow, and I had to resist the urge to snicker.

"So, um, I was, uh, wondering, since you, you know, missed the bus, if you wanted a ride with us?" His tone of voice obviously showed that he didn't want me to ride with them.

"I think I can manage on my own." I muttered darkly.

Fang practically made a b-line for his black hummer jeep, muttering a "Sure.".

Iggy stayed. "Daredevil, huh? Gutsy to be late the first day, the teachers will hate you." He held out his hand for a high five.

I stared at his hand until he put it down "Right." He muttered. "Call me when you're not PMSing." He grinned. I smacked him upside the head.

"Violence is not the answer!" He wailed.

"Just go to school, Iggy." I instructed.

"See ya Maxie!" he sniggered.

I lunged for him, but he was halfway in the car already. Idiot.

I stomped my way into the garage and took the sheet off my bike. I would beat them to school.

*-*-8_8_

Without slowing down, I slid my bike perfectly into a parking place at the high school.

St John's Heights was a very typical high school. I dare say it was even cliché. It was built up with red brick and was about two stories. Student chatted amiably to their peers in their little cliques, perhaps catching up after a summer apart.

I snorted to myself when I spotted the typical jock/cheerleader clique, all adorned with the school colours (blue and white). It was mind boggling that the students all dressed the same style in their cliques; I thought that was only on TV. Seriously, there were punks, Goths, preps, emos, nerds, loners, you name it.

I thought about what I was wearing; skinny jeans (so they were close to my skin so they wouldn't rip if I fell of my bike), a plain blue t-shirt, a leather jacket (again in case of road rash), and my bike boots. I dressed for me, not for everyone else.

I took off my red helmet and shook out my long hair that I had taken the time to brush this morning (see? I'm trying.). I was too lazy to braid it this morning, so it fell everywhere. When was the last time I cut it? Don't remember.

I shoved my helmet in my new book bag (courtesy of Valencia), squared my shoulders, and headed towards the school.

*-*-8_8_

Alright, I was starting to get ticked. I mean honestly! Hadn't these people seen a new kid before? Or was this town so small that everyone already knew everyone?

What really freaked me out was the way the males' eyes raked over my body. I even got a wolf whistle or two. I had to resist punching the guys who did that.

Anyways, I managed to get to the office without any bodily harm. To myself or anyone else.

A small mousy haired woman was typing away at her computer at the front desk. I could tell she was always under a lot of stress; her nails were all chewed up.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

The secretary didn't even look up. "Yes?" she said.

"I'm here to get my schedule and school map."

"They were sent in the mail at the beginning of summer, the school is not responsible if you loose them."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her 'I know everything' attitude. "Actually I wasn't enrolled here until a few weeks ago. I'm a new student."

She finally looked up from her computer and stopped typing. He moved her glasses down her nose. "You must be Maximum Ride. " I nodded. "Welcome. I'm sure you'll enjoy your year here."

She didn't know shit.

**Yeah it wasn't amazing, I know, but it was kind of a prep chapter. (Preparation, not the style) ANYWAYS! The next chapter will be Max in school! Woot! RnR, thanks,**

**Lil Q**


	11. Chapter 10

**HEY ALL! So I know its not super long, but I wanted to get one more chapter in before 2011! Happy New Year everyone!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter ten:

I took a deep breath. I was standing outside the door of my first period class, Advanced Literature.

Show time.

The second bell had yet to ring so I walked in, and chose a desk to sit in. Back corner, where people had to turn _around_ to stare at me.

And then shrink back into their seats once they saw my death glare. I flipped up my hood so it was harder for people to see me.

I watched with nonchalance as the rest of the class filed in. I noted that I saw none of the jocks come in.

Then, to my horror, I saw Iggy and Fang enter the class. Being surprised would be mean. Being surprised would be mean. I chanted.

Iggy saw me and waved enthusiastically. I managed a sort of half-smirk in his direction. Which is kind of like a quarter smile. Whatever.

After the class had filed in a short, stocky woman with greying hair and little spectacles came in.

She cleared her throat and immediately the class silenced.

Her voice was smooth and practiced; the kind of voice that must read aloud a lot. "Welcome to Advanced Literature of senior year. As most of you probably know, I am Mrs. Weber and have probably taught your English classes since freshman year." I looked around the class at the students, and it appeared that everything this teacher was saying was true, everyone in this class had been with the same students and the same teacher since freshman year for advanced literature, and it was probably the same with the rest of the advanced classes. _Great._ "Although, this year we have a new addition to our graduating class, and I hope you will welcome him with the same respect you currently show to your peers. Is Mr. Maximum Ride here?" She asked in conclusion, scanning the class for anyone out of place. The room was dead silent with the exception of Iggy's suppressed chortles at this woman's ignorance.

I tentatively raised my hand.

Mrs. Weber raised her spectacles up the bridge of her nose and said, "Ah, Mr. Ride welcome to our class, but you should know, hoods are not allowed." After which she looked at me expectantly.

I shrugged indifferently, flipped my hood down, and shook out my long sandy hair. _That_ was when the talking started. Murmurs and whispers flooded through the classroom as I looked at the befuddled educator keenly.

She once again adjusted her glasses and said "Oh, I'm so sorry, _Miss_ Ride." She looked around the room flustered while she spoke. Iggy's snickering was apparent now.

Mrs. Weber cleared her throat, and the whole class silenced. "Now, I will read the attendance, and when I call your name say "here" or "present" and come up to the front to pick up a text book."

*-*-8_8_

History class preceded much the same as Literature, the teacher, at first looking at my dame and calling me Mr. Ride, apologizing profusely after I raised my hand, and the murmurs of the students after.

After History class, it was lunch. Thank God, I was famished.

I had just gotten out of the cliché long cafeteria line, and was heading towards and empty table when my name was called, twice. Iggy and Ella.

"Hey Max!"

"Max over here!"

They were sitting at the same table so I made my way over to them. Both Nudge and Fang were also there, along with three other people I didn't know. A girl, about my age was there, with light chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes. She was holding hands with a boy, again about our age with thick dark brown hair and green eyes.

And then there was her. I am not a believer in love at first sight, I mean those things take time, you have to wait for trust to build. But oh boy, do I believe in hate at first sight.

And after seeing this girl my opinion of it multiplied by about a thousand. She had flaming red hair and beady green eyes. She was pale and wore very- ahem- revealing clothing.

I don't judge people on looks; I'd like to think I'm not that shallow, I was judging her on what she was doing. She was practically sitting on Fang's lap with her ankle entwined with his and her hand wrapped around his neck trying to pull him even closer. I almost snickered at the look of discomfort on his face.

But my emotionless mask was still firmly in place as I looked at Iggy and Ella expectantly.

"Do you want to sit with us?" Ella asked, her blue eyes warm.

My eyebrows furrowed together out of habit when someone was nice to me. "Um, sure. Thanks." I sat down strategically. As far away from sitting next to Fang without sitting next to Nudge who would talk my ear off. This put me beside the girl with brown hair.

"So guys, this is my, um, foster-sister, Max." _Real sister, actually._ Ella said. "Max, this is Sam," she pointed at the boy with brown hair and green eyes "J.J.," the girl sitting next to me, "And Lisa." She pointed to the girl wrapped around Fang.

Sam and J.J. smiled at me, while Lisa completely ignored me, which I was fine with.

"So, Max, where are you from?" J.J. asked. Alright Max, show time. Let's see how much of a teenager you can be.

"I've lived in lots of places. Most recently, though, Washington." I said.

"Wow, I bet it's wierd going to one of the places with the most precipitation in America to one of the places with the least." Sam said. I decided I liked him, he seemed non-pigheaded and smart.

I shrugged. "Arizona has nothing on Africa."

"You went to Africa?" Ella asked. "You never told me that."

"Never came up."

"How long were you there?" J.J. asked.

"I lived there for two months. My parents are... were... um, missionaries." Yeah that worked.

"OMG so you're like a world traveller Max? That's so cool! I'd totally love to see France! And Milan! Get the latest fashion like, straight from the runway. Or Italy, the shoes! Where else have you been?"Yep, you guessed it, Nudge asked with wide eyes.

Jeez, as soon as I start talking a little they expct me to give a speech! "Um, Newcastle, England, Sydney, Australia, Dublin, Ireland, um, I spent some time in Germany, but I'm not sure the city, all over Africa, I was in Canada for awhile in a small town outside Vancouver, I've been all over the states..." I trailed off.

"Yeah, well, I was in the Caribbean for two weeks last summer." Lissa suddenly said, in a horrible nasally, high pitched voice.

"Never been there." I muttered looking down.

Lisa starting ranting on about all the thing she did in the Caribbean, all the guys that asked her out, telling Fang how lucky he was.

J.J. smiled at me kindly. "Don't mind Lisa," she whispered. "Its not you; if anyone steals her "spotlight" she decides to fght to get it back."

I gave her that same quarter smile thing I gave Iggy earlier. "thanks."

Nudge interrupted Lisa by asking me "So Max, what did you do in all those places?" Lisa glowered at me, while everyone was leaning in slightly to hear what I had to say.

I'll admit, I panicked. See if your stuck living in a small dog crate for any part of your life, let alone my record of two years you would develop a bit of claustrophobia.

So right now I felt like a cornered animal; my only thought: _get out._

I pulled back slightly and shook a bit of hair in front of my face. My Dad had called it a defence mechanism I had developed in the School.

"Um, actually I gotta go, I need to, um, text my uncle." Wow. That was the best I could do? I really need to re-teach myself how to lie; four years of down time with my dad had made me soft.

I slung my bag on my shoulder, got up and dumped my lunch in the trash, my apetite lost.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ella's friends with various levels of confusion on their faces. Except Lisa, she was smug. I heard Ella mutter to Iggy "Something's wrong, she said she could only talk to her uncle when he called her." I quickened my pace to the cafeteria doors with my face heating up. I went into the closest girl's bathroom I could find and put a paper towel soaked with cold water to my forhead, and attempted to calm myself down.

This day had so far been a total bust. My teachers pointed me out, I didn't fit in, I couldn't even talk to a few people without having a panic attack, for God's sake!

_Great, now I'm worked up again._ I thought to myself.

"Max?" was called into the bathroom, and Ella walked in. Her eyes widened when she saw the paper towel on my forehead. "Are you okay?"

I executed my famous shrug of indifference.

She walked up to me and asked "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

I decided the truth would fit best here, she would twll her friends to back off and not be all wierded out by me. Hopefully. I rubbed he back of my neck. "I'm sorry for ditching back there." I nodded to out side the door.

"it's okay, they don't take it personal, they just want to know if you're okay. So do I." Ella said this with suxh compassion and kindness in her eyes I couldn't help but be reminded of my Dad.

I cold practically hear him saying _"Don't be afraid to let a few in." _Why not Ella? Or Valen- Mom?

I mean they were my freaking family!

"I'm just really claustrophobic." I told her. "And when all of you were crowding around me..." I trailed off.

"Oh." She said. Great, is she wierded out? She smiled at me. "How come?"

"Bad experience with a dog crate." I muttered instinctively. I froze. Did I actually just say that.

But Ella just continued like nothing happened. "That sucks." She said.

I snorted. "You have no idea."

Ella smiled. "Well do you want to come back with me?"

I smirked and shook my head. "I think I've made a fool out of myself enough for today, I think I'll wander around and try to find my next class."

"Sure."

"And Ella?" I asked. She looked at me expectantly. I smiled,a bit uncertainly, but it was a full smile, first one to someone here above the age of six. "Thanks."

She looked surprised. "For what?"

"For caring."

Ella grinned. "Anytime."

*-*-8_8_

I walked into the science lab hesitantly. In science class you had to work with a partner, and I doubt anyone would be willing to be mine.

"Hey Max, over here!" Well, maybe not.

I walked over to Iggy who was sitting at a lab table with one side empty.

"Um, yeah?"

"Do you want to be my partner?" He asked.

"Um, why me?" I was honestly curious, its not like I had been outright nice to him before.

"I figured you were badass enough to be my partner. Everyone else in this class are wimps." I saw some people in the class look at him nervously.

He rolled his eyes just because a few of my partners got their eyebrows burnt off doesn't mean its necessarily going to happen again."

My eyes widened in surprise. "What happened?"

He pretended to be very interested in a vile on the desk "Just a few minor explosions..."

I smiled and sat down next to him. He looked at me in surprise. "Sounds like my kind of thing, I'm in."

He grinned. Maybe these people weren't as bad as I thought.

*-*-8_8_

Iggy and I walked to our next class, gym. This school was so small that they didn't have different gym classes for different genders. I had to admit, I was a little excited to whip some major ass.

I went into a stall to change into the gym clothes in the blue and white school colors. I had ordered two sizes to big for the shirt so it wouldn't hug close to my back, exposing my wings. Most of the girls shirts were already too big with the correct size so they tied them back. Yet another way I stick out.

I stepped into the gym and was surprised by J.J. skipping over to me. "Hey Max!"

"Hi." Wow. Creative.

"You skipped out pretty fast at lunch, are you okay?" she asked with concern in her eyes. She seemed pretty nice, too.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I needed to text my uncle."

She nodded. "Look! There's Iggy and Fang!" she said as they walked over to us, well Iggy did he was kind of dragging Fang.

"Hey guys!" she said "Are you ready for Coach Jefferson? Sam said he made his class run 8 laps of the track for the period!"

Iggy winced. And Fang looked calm. "You like running?" I asked him.

His eyes widened about half a millimetre at the fact that I was talking to him. He collected himself and shrugged. I almost snorted; that was my shrug.

J.J. answered for him instead, God she was almost as chatty as Nudge. "Yeah, Fang has been the captain of the track team since sophomore year."

Just then we heard a horrible screech of "NICKY!" and Fang pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

I couldn't help it: I snickered. The boys looked at me in surprise (I was getting that a lot), right, they hadn't hear me laugh before.

Before they could comment on it Fang was tackled. He didn't move an inch but he was still tackled.

Lisa had her arms wrapped around his neck and was sucking his face in a second. Iggy made an 'ick' face and a wretching sound.

Lisa detached herself and glowered at him. "Mind your own beeswax James." I scoffed at her attempted insult.

She was about to say something to me when a balding man with a big gut, a baseball cap and a whistle came out and said "Attention! We'll be starting out the semester reviewing your fitness, so outside, 8 laps, hustle!"

Groans came from about the whole class. But on the inside I smiled. This was going to be fun.


	12. Chapter 11

**Two weeks and a day. Aren't you proud of me? I am amazing. Just kidding. I'd have to update every week to be amazing. Any whoo at least y'all didn't have to wait a month. I realize in previous chapters of this story Max has been slightly mopey. You only got a taste of her bad-assness. Well. Here you are lucky readers. Max in all her glory.**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter eleven:

"Alright now you have to save your energy for all the laps, so you shouldn't start off sprinting, clear?" Coach Jefferson shouted as we were all stretching in the middle of the field that the track was wrapped around.

"Right! Boys first! Line up!" My eyebrows furrowed. I had been looking forward to showing up a few dimwit guys. I walked over to Jefferson.

"Hey coach." I said and he looked over at me. "Do you mind if I run with the boys? I already stretched and if I wait too long after stretching I cramp up."

He gave me a once over. I didn't like the way his eyes raked over me. "Since you're new around here, fine. But don't come crying to me when you're coming in last with Pitman over there." He nodded to some scrawny kid who did not look happy.

"Thanks." I muttered. _Not._

As I walked to the starting line a lot of comments were made.

"What's the new chick lining up for?"

"Hey babe, I could slow down if you want, or take you along for a ride." This jerk winked. He had perfect blonde hair and blue eyes to complete his movie star looks. You could tell he was completely aware of it.

I lined up next to Fang and Iggy. "What are you doing here?" Iggy asked. Fang seemed to be thinking the same question.

I smirked. "Already stretched."

They seemed to back away slightly. Oops. Was my face creepy there?

"On your marks!" Coach yelled. "Get set! Go!"

I took off, not going anywhere close to my fastest but still going ahead of the guys. Right, coach told them not to sprint at first. They hadn't been genetically altered.

I sighed and slowed down a bit, falling into line with most of the guys. I heard some of them laugh a bit; probably thinking I was getting tired.

As if. After about the second lap the number of guys at the front started to decrease. After the fifth lap it was just me, Fang, and the jerk who winked at me earlier.

He looked over at me and was surprised that I was still at the front. But he quickly smothered it and said (with a slight wheeze) "Ready for that ride now babe? We're already sweaty." He grinned, and it was disturbing.

Fang was a little ahead right now so I sped up to run next to him.

"Hey Fang?" I asked, coming to pace with him. He looked at me like I was insane.

"Can you go any faster?" I asked.

He looked confused but nodded none the less. "Why don't we make dipstick over there eat our dust." I suggested, nodding over to the creep. Fang looked over, his eyes narrowed, and he looked back at me and nodded.

Why did I ask Fang to come you may ask? Well, I think beating the captain of the senior boys track team would make me stand out just a little. Don't you?

To be honest I could have finished this run ages ago, but c'est la vie.

Fang looked like he was flat out sprinting and I matched his pace. Finally. We were going pretty fast, but again, I could go faster.

We finished the remaining two laps after passing several people. And Fang looked well... exhausted.

Fang was drenched in sweat and bent over from breathing so hard. While I was breathing a little faster than usual.

J.J. jogged over to me as I was drinking from the water bottle I had saved from lunch.

"Max that was amazing!" she exclaimed.

I smirked. I cast a glance over at Fang who was staring at me with astonishment. That made me smile even more.

But then it was ruined with an "I see you like going fast. We'll get along just great." From that jerk.

I gave him a half glare "That's if you can catch me." I shot back.

He grinned. "Hard to get, I like that."

I snorted. "More like impossible to get."

He kept smiling, undeterred. "I'm Dylan by the way."

I gave him my most innocent face and said. "And I'm not interested."

I turned around and started to leave when he caught my wrist. BIG mistake. "Don't be like that babe."

I smiled sweetly and then proceeded to twist his arm around his back. I whispered in his ear "I would suggest you leave me alone." And I pushed him forward so he face planted.

I heard him grumble "Bitch."

I gave him my death glare, but I was smirking a little. "Definitely." I said to him. He shuddered. Ha. _Chew on _that _nimrod._

I walked back over to J.J. who had been watching the whole exchange with wide eyes. _Great. _"Sorry about that." I muttered. One less person who will think well of me.

"Are you kidding me?" she surprised me by exclaiming. "That was so cool! It's about time someone stood up to Dylan. Besides boyfriends and brothers."

At this I had to chuckle.

"Show-off, she's probably on, like, steroids or something." I looked over across the field towards Lisa, who was talking to some plastic friends. Okay. She seemed annoying at lunch, but now she was being a bitch. Combine that with the fact that I was still pissed about the whole Dylan thing, you get a very unhappy Max. "You can tell she's completely, like, full of herself," she continued. "She was bragging about going to Africa or something stupid like that all during lunch." I was _so_ not bragging, she was the one having her little drama moment about not being the centre of attention.

I surreptitiously walked closer to her so I was in human hearing distance. Lisa kept talking, oblivious to my position. "And then when everyone wanted to hear about my trip last summer she interrupted and tried to tell us about where she travelled, she was probably lying." She scoffed. Oh, _lying_? Really? Can she even hear herself talk? "And then when no one would listen to her she stormed off because she didn't get any attention."

A particularly fake looking blonde said, well whined would be a better term for it "Liss, you should definitely, like, sit with us again."

Lisa examined her nails "I would, Tiff, but I gotta sit with my man."

I snorted. I was about to stalk up to her and give her a piece of my mind when "Girls! Take your starting positions!"

_Damn._

All the girls walked up to the starting line on the track. While I plopped down on the grass to watch.

"You too, Ride." Coach Jefferson said, with an odd smirk on his face.

My eyebrows furrowed. "I just ran." I said walking up to him.

"I'm not responsible for what you do when you're waiting for your turn." He said. "Now I suggest you line up Miss Ride."

"But I asked if I could run with the guys instead." I insisted, walking up to him.

"And I asked the girls to line up. So line up. Unless you're not a girl under there." He said smugly, looking me up and down. I heard an intake of breath from the entire class that had grown silent listening to us.

He did _not_ just go there. This is what passes for an educator these days? Well two could play at that game. Screw fitting in, I was going to educate _him_ not to mess with me.

So, in true badass-Max-like fashion I perked up and said "Sure! Let's go." And stopped and said in feigned horror "Unless _you're _not a girl under there." I looked him up and down like he did me.

Jefferson's face turn bright red and you could practically see steam coming out of his ears. "_Excuse me?"_ he half-yelled, appalled that someone would talk back to him.

"Oh, so you're a _guy?_" I asked, feigning innocence. "Then those are some serious man-boobs you got there. I think you can see a doctor about that." The whole class burst out laughing, even _Fang_ was chuckling a bit.

You could practically see the vein about to pop on Jefferson's forehead now, and his face was close to purple. He sputtered "I...you...but..."

"And a big one at that." I said smirking. The laughing was thunderous now.

"DETENTION!" he yelled at me. "TO THE OFFICE!" The class quieted.

"You know, porky, I think I just demonstrated that I don't take orders from you."

"You can expect a phone call to your parents." I saw Iggy visibly wince. I glared at the teacher. My death glare, full force, not smirk, or lessoning of the power.

Jefferson looked like he was gonna pee his pants. "Newsflash," I said "I don't give a shit." and with that I walked back towards the building with a half-hour still left of class.

*-*8_8_

_Well, I just screwed up all my future fifth periods_. I thought, after I had changed and was heading towards my locker. I figured I should wait for Ella and see if she wanted a ride back to the house.

So I took out my sketch book and doodled aimlessly. After about twenty minutes I stopped and looked down.

What I saw made me drop my book.

It was a pair of perfectly detailed, soulful invigorating eyes. And they were pitch black.

Why the hell did I draw that? I mean I hadn't even seen those eyes enough to draw them that well. A part of me wanted to rip out that page and throw it away, but another part wanted to keep it, just so I could look at them whenever I wanted.

What. The. Hell. Why did I just think that? It was last period. It has me all worked up and I'm not thinking straight.

I sighed and stuffed my sketch book into my bag and just waited for the bell to ring.

*-*-8_8_

"I heard she completely dissed that teacher and said he was fat."

"I heard she completely beat up some kid in her class."

"I heard she beat _Nick Walker _running."

All these whispers ran through the hallways and silenced whenever I came in "hearing distance".

I headed towards Ella, who was talking to Iggy with a disgruntled looking Fang beside him.

"Hey Ella." I said. She jumped, she must have not heard me come up behind her.

"Max, you gave me a heart attack." She panted. I raised my eyebrows. "So, how has your first day of actual school been?"

I shrugged. "Just about as cliché and nonsensical as I thought it would be." Ella laughed.

I sighed. _I miss you Dad. _I thought.

"So what is all this stuff I hear about you and Coach Jefferson?" Ella asked, oblivious to my sudden melancholy mood.

I shrugged. Iggy burst out laughing. "Oh you shoulda been there, Ells." He exclaimed. "The look on his face when she's like 'those are some serious man-boobs'"- Ella's eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped slightly.

Ella and Iggy chatted enthusiastically as we made our way to the front doors of the school.

Ella started heading towards the bus when Iggy stopped her. "Where do you think you're going? You always ride with us. You skipped out on us this morning, but we will not stand for it anymore! Right Fang?" Iggy finished his rant, directing his question at his brother.

Fang, who had been silently observing, much like myself, muttered. "Course. Ella should ride with us."

She laughed. "Well... I guess. But I get shotgun." She said with wide eyes directed at Iggy.

He had a slightly dazed look on his face as he muttered "Sure."

Fang muttered under his breath "Sap."

Iggy seemed to then remember my existence. "And Max too." A look of thought crossed his face. "How did you get to school before us Max?"

We were in the middle of the parking lot now and I could see where my bike was parked. Or rather _should _be parked.

I nodded over to the large group of boys that had accumulated around my bike.

"Ella, I would offer you a ride but I figure I should let you enjoy having shotgun."

"You have a car?" Fang asked.

I raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking why he had just joined into the conversation now.

"Max?" Iggy prompted.

"I hate cars." I said. It was true. Hello? Claustrophobia? Remember?

I walked up to the group of boys, put two fingers in my mouth and let out a loud whistle. They all turned to look at me.

I crossed my arms and glared at them. "Scatter. Of you know what's good for you." I instructed, in my true bad-ass form.

They obliged obediently.

Iggy, Fang, and Ella had followed behind me silently.

"This boys, is my baby." I said stroking the seat lovingly. I almost snickered when I saw their jaws dropped.

I swung my leg over the seat and strapped my helmet on. "See you at the house Ella." I said, and I was off.

Well. School had just been _Hell._

But strangely I couldn't wait for tomorrow.

**RnR!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Two weeks and two days. Yup. That's right. TWO CHAPTERS IN A MONTH PEOPLE! Ahem. Well that's actually not really that amazing. Anyhow. I AM SO EXCITED! 15 reviews! For one chapter. That has to be some sort of record. For me anyways. So I have decided that I am always, from now on going to update with a chapter 2100 words or more every two weeks and up to two days extra. And if I miss it you guys are allowed to send me virtual face palms. Yeah. **_**Virtual face palms.**_** So I guess I've wasted enough of your time. Enjoy! REMEMBER TO REVIEW! Even though I get about 2000 hits per month and only 89 reviews... Ahem sorry. Even if you don't review I still love you. In a completely non-stalkerish way. Right, that chapter, sorry. BYE!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter twelve:

I lay splayed out on the red cliff ledge. I had taken a liking to sitting here to watch the sunset.

I can guess what you're thinking: what if Valencia or Ella comes into my room looking for me? Well I just say that I'm going for a ride on my bike. I drive to the base of the cliffs fly up, and enjoy the scenery.

I sighed as I rubbed my wings against the small rocks on the floor of the ledge, it felt good.

The past week had been fairly uneventful compared to the first day. Besides a conference that included the principal, Valencia, Jefferson and I everything seemed well... normal.

I had unlocked more of my Mom's character. When she got a phone call from the school requesting a conference she didn't even seem mad.

_Flashback:_

"_I see. Of course. No it's not a problem at all. Thanks for the call." Valencia said, speaking to someone on the phone. "Max!" she called up the stairs after she hung up._

"_What's up?" I asked coming down._

_She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "You tell me." Instead I mirrored her stance. _

_She sighed. "I just got a phone call from the school saying you presented un-orderly conduct but insulting a teacher and throwing some kid to the ground. They have requested a conference." I shrugged._

_She took a deep breath. The kind I did when I was trying to be rational. Valencia sat on the couch and motion for me to join her._

"_So I guess you're regretting fostering me now huh." I said sitting down._

_Silence. That was all I heard, besides our breathing, heart beats and Ella singing along to some song upstairs._

_I risked a glance at Valencia. It wasn't the guilty look I had expected, but a mix between indignation and... Something else? _

"_Max you are being completely ridiculous." She stated stroking my bangs out of my face. "I just want to know what happened so I can fix it."_

_I gave a look of disbelief. "You don't think it's my fault?"_

_She smiled. "Of course not; I haven't heard your side of the story yet. Innocent until proven guilty. Now, care doing explain what happened?"_

_And so I did. I told her how Dylan was being a dip wad and grabbed my wrist, and how Jefferson was being sexist and unfair. _

_And get this. She agreed with me. She even called the school to yell at the principal and Jefferson for a bit._

I sat up, suddenly uncomfortable. Sometimes there's the one spot in between my wings that starts hurting if I don't fly enough or keep them folded too long. It feels better if you rub it, but I couldn't reach. And I couldn't exactly tell someone to rub it because a) I would have to show them my wings. And b) I was on a cliff that normal people had to scale 150 000 meters to get to. Damn it.

And I couldn't just go home either; I had to fly for that. And I can't fly with this stupid pain on my back! Ugh.

I steeled myself and unfurled my wings completely.

_Damn_ that hurt. _Pain is only a message._

I stiffened my wings and jumped of the cliff, gliding down. I couldn't land properly without moving my wings which would feel like _Hell,_ so I sort of crash landed. In which I landed funny on my ankle.

Sprained. Crap. It would heal by tomorrow, but it would kill for the night.

I sighed and limped over to my bike, tonight just wasn't my night.

*-*-8_8_

I carefully slid off my bike, favouring my sore ankle. I was parked in the garage and it was about 10:30 at night.

I walked in the house to see Valencia sitting on the couch watching TV. She looked up and smiled at me.

"Did you have a nice ride?"

I shrugged, wanting to go to my room without her seeing my limp. But of course, this is me, so right after I started walking she said "What happened to your ankle?"

"Um, I stepped on it wrong; it should be fine by tomorrow."

Concern shone in her eyes, but she muttered. "¿Qué voy a hacer contigo, Max?" I smiled internally. My Dad had said my Mom spoke Spanish sometimes, so being the charming, charismatic eight-year-old I was, I learned. What am I going to do with you Max? She said.

"Lo siento Valencia." I'm sorry, Valencia.

"Tú hablas español?" You speak Spanish? She asked in surprise.

"Sí. Yo viví en México por unos cuantos meses." Yes. I lived in Mexico for a few months.

She laughed. "Tal vez usted puede enseñar a Ella." Maybe you can teach Ella.

She seemed to remember my ankle and said "Why don't we get some ice on that."

*-*-8_8_

I was tossing and turning. That damn pain was still there.

I slipped out of bed and opened my door a crack. Yup everyone was still asleep.

I took off my night shirt so I was just in my pyjama pants and a tank top.

I stretched my wings out. Like really stretched them. After I stopped moving them and they were completely out they didn't hurt as much.

I sighed; maybe I should try to find a different way to fold them.

So instead of just bringing them in together like usual I pulled them down and together, but they were on the floor now. Then I sort of brought the bottoms up to reach the tops and... Ahh! Much better. The pain was gone.

I had a start when I looked in the mirror. For a second all I was thinking was where the heck were my wings? I felt my back, and they were still there. I had sort of tucked them in between my shoulder blades, so they weren't noticeable.

I grinned and immediately went to my closet and got a form fitting t-shirt. I looked at my back, it looked completely flat! Normally there would be a lump on my back making me look like a hunch back, but with my wings like this... I could be normal. I grinned. No more of those damn baggy sweatshirts when it was still 104˚ out.

I looked at my arms and frowned. I would still need long sleeves; those scars would be noticeable up close. Good thing nobody got too close to me.

*-*-8_8_

I kind of let my brain go numb listening to Nudge. She seemed like a really sweet kid but that mouth of hers... Well I'm trying to be a nicer person so I can't say.

Ella, Nudge, and I were walking down the hallway during lunch; I think they were going to the locker they shared, for lip gloss or something- but like I said I kind of let my brain go numb- so it wasn't until there was a huge flash of red hair, and the loud click of heels, that I realised Lisa and her hoard of bimbos were blocking our path.

"So are you like, preggo or something?" She asked in her atrocious irksome voice.

I looked up from the floor I had been staring at for the past ten minutes. Was she talking to me?

"Excuse me?" I said peering out from my large grey hood. I had still chosen to wear the baggy bulky clothes even though my wings weren't noticeable, because I wanted to see if I could keep them like this all day without them hurting.

"Like are you trying to hide your baby bump with all of those clothes?" She sneered.

To tell you the truth I was astonished. They actually did this?

I had watched this scene over a hundred times on TV. The 'popular girl' comes in with her slutty clothes and talks smack to the plain 'new girl' who just wants to fit in thus making said new girl feel bad about herself and get a makeover and come back to school with her head held high looking gorgeous.

So I was going to do the same thing... subtract feeling bad, getting a makeover and looking gorgeous... add some major bad-assdom and voila! A teenage drama- Max style.

I flipped my hood down and looked her straight on the eye. I could practically feel the 'uh-oh' vibes coming from Ella and Nudge.

"Are you trying to _get_ a baby bump with _those_ clothes?" I shot back.

Just then all the 'jocks' came through the gym doors.

Them Lisa did something I didn't expect- she burst into tears. Huge, loud, over-dramatic, obviously fake tears, but tears none-the-less.

Her cronies put on looks of utmost sympathy as she scurried over to- come on you know who it is. I'll give you one guess.

Yeah, it was Fang. Fang, Iggy and a bunch of other guys wearing football jerseys.

"NICKY!" she wailed, throwing her arms around him. I noticed Fang flinch. Being the observant citizen that I was I noticed that Fang flinched whenever he made physical contact with someone outside his immediate family. The only exceptions I had seen so far were with Nudge and Ella. Even when Sam clapped him on the back he seemed uncomfortable.

Anyways. Back to the situation at hand. "S-she called me...a a... slut!" she sobbed. Fang tried to wriggle away. As he got out of her clutches he raised an 'are you serious' eyebrow at me.

I shrugged.

"Nicky what's wrong?" Lisa sniffled. "Get her!" she pointed at me.

...

ARE YOU FRIGGIN SERIOUS?

I just about doubled over in laughter. Lisa stomped up to me, red faced, all trace of fake tears gone. "What?" she shrieked at me.

"Y-you don't even friggin know me and your sicking your little boyfriend on me? What is he a dog?" I chortled. I whistled over to Fang. "Go on Fangy, sick her, sick her boy!" He just rolled his eyes.

"UGH!" she squawked. She put on her most authorotive face. It looked like a rabid kitten. "This is MY school. I run things around here. I'M the popular girl. YOU'RE the geek. I can make your life a living hell here." She threatened, while looking up at me. I was still a few inches taller though she was in heels.

I immediately sobered. If she wanted it that way, fine. The gloves were officially off. My death glare made hers look pathetic. With just that look her resolve seemed to waver.

"Let's get something straight." I said, low and deadly. "I've been to Hell and back. Nothing you could do to me could possibly be worse." I stalked up to her slowly like a panther ready to pounce on its prey. She was practically quaking. "What's the worst you can do to me? Huh? Get all the students o ignore me? Pull pranks on me?" I snorted. Even some of the football players were backing up. "That's a picnic compared to what _I_ can do to _you._" She had backed into the lockers. I leaned in and whispered in her ear. "So do yourself a favour and back-off." I pulled back my fist and thrust it forward, straight towards her face. She let out a shriek of fear.

Then I stopped it about an inch from her nose. "Not even worth it."

I turned on my heel and proceeded down towards the back doors of the school. I looked at my watch, about ten minutes to class. I sat down on a wall that was about six feet off the ground, and rubbed my temples, soothing an oncoming headache.

When I think about it that was probably the most I had said the entire time I had been here. Huh. I guess rage brings Max out of her shell...

Just then the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. There was someone trying to sneak up behind me.

Iggy. He dragged his feet slightly when he walked. Just when he was standing in the dirt behind me, about to tap me on the shoulder I said "Hey Iggy." He jumped.

"How did you know?" he asked, sitting beside me.

_Because everyone's footsteps sound different, and I can hear practically everything in a thirty metre radius. _"I saw you come out. Though I am surprised that you'd have the guts to sneak up on me."

He grinned. "That's me. Brave as a lion."

"Or stupid as a dodo bird." I muttered. But I was smiling.

He shrugged. "Same thing." I rolled my eyes. "You've caused quite the upturn you know."

I raised my eyebrows. "Seems like this school could stand a little bit of trouble."

He laughed. "Heck Yeah! It's been so boring round here. Hey do want one of my bombs? I mean I like to abide by the law, but you seem to have a 'rebel against authority' thing going on so I'm sure you could do something interesting with them."

I chuckled. "I don't need bombs to cause detruction."

He laughed. "Course not, we are talking about the great Maximum Ride after all."

"Huh?" I said shooting him a look of confusion.

"Angel. She idolized you." He smiled. "I think the only person she could possibly like as much as you is Fang." Fang? I mean I had kind of suspected but... Fang, being Fang didn't seem like the best- big-brother type.

I smiled, an action the was becoming more and more frequent. "She's a sweet kid." I furrowed my eyebrows, curious. "Are they close? Angel and Fang I mean."

"Yeah. I know Fang seems all tall dark and emo"- he chuckled at his description. "But Angel, she turns him into a pansy. She's got him wrapped around her finger, and she knows it."

When I thought of it, I could kind of picture it. I could see Fang with Angel sitting on his shoulders, doing whatever she wanted, but being happy to do it. When you saw them together it was easy to tell that he was the big-brother type. Away from her- not so much.

"What about you?" I asked him.

"I love Angel, I mean she's my sister, but I'm closer to the Gasman. He's my partner in crime."

I smirked. "He's like a mini version of you." It was true. He has spikey blonde hair, blue eyes, was a typically upbeat person, and completely devious.

"Except with a little more gas." Iggy pointed out.

"So what's the deal with you guys?"

"Huh?"

"You, Fang, Gazzy, Angel, Ella and Nudge?" I clarified. "I mean I get that all you guys lived next door to Ella but where does Nudge fit in? You seem to know her as much as Ella."

He let a big grin appear across his face. "Well Nudge used to live across the street from us. Our parents had gotten us together from when we were babies, so we all grew up together, we're like one big messed up family. I mean, Val is like an Aunt to Fang, Gazzy, Angel, Nudge, and I. We were always mainly at your house."

"Huh."

"You know how Val had an older daughter?" He asked, suddenly.

I had to resist the urge to snort. He had _no_ idea. "Yeah? What about her?"

"For the first three years of our lives she was Fang's best friend. I mean I was there too, but apparently her and Fang just clicked. I mean we don't remember it, but there's lots of pictures."

My eyes widened. I was slightly shocked.

Fang and me? Best friends? I wonder if we would have the same animosity to each other now if I hadn't been taken. No, probably not.

I was immediately overcome with same melancholy I felt when I first re-saw Mom's house. I probably would have had a great life.

"Max?" Iggy prompted.

"Sorry what?"

"I said I think that's way Fang is the way he is. He was a normal three year old then, but after he hadn't seen Maxine for awhile he stopped talking. And even though we don't even remember her I think its just habit for him now."

"So how do you explain his obnoxious attitude and over all pig-headedness?"

He grinned. "He just comes by that naturally."

I let out a dry laugh "No kidding?"

Just then the bell dicided to ring.

"Come on." I elbowed him. "Lets go see what chemicals you can blow up today."

He saluted me. "Yes Ma'am."

As we ran to our class I thought _Maybe making friends isn't so bad at all._

**RnR!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Yay! I lived up to my promise! Two weeks and two days with 2108 words (not including my blurb)! OOH MORE ABOUT MAX'S PAST! Ahem. I keep having to remind myself that you guys are all in the dark about what happened to her. Hehehe. ANYWAYS! You know what sucks? English class. My teacher is INSANE! I have a theory that she is an under cover rogue British spy. Cause it sound slike she's trying to cover up a british accent, she's kind of secretiveish and did I mention she's insane? Well if my writing becomes bad because of her bogus grammar lessons its not my fault. Enough about me. Enjoy and Review!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter thirteen:

I don't handle biology well. Hell, science in general gives me goose bumps. My Dad had homeschooled me for a decent part of my life. He did touch upon sciences, because he was a scientist himself, but we never delved deeply into the subject. I understood most sciences in principle, I knew what the formulas for chemicals were (though even looking at a beaker freaked me out), I understood water systems, physics, but I could never get in the right frame of mind for biology.

All the stuff to do with organs and DNA and the way bodies work and stuff... It brings me back to a dark place.

I couldn't even stand the sight of the school nurse putting a stethoscope to some kids back. So imagine my dismay when Iggy and I go into science class in a companionable silence and this happens:

Mr. McGill walked into the room in his lab coat that still freaked me out. He was fairly tall and faintly resembled Bill Nye the Science Guy. His seemed like an alright human being, and was a fairly good teacher.

But my positive opinion of him changed drastically when he said "Class today I have a special treat for you. It's dissection day!"

Looking around the classroom I saw several girls wrinkle their noses in disgust. More than a few pairs of boys high-fived. One look at Iggy showed that he was uninterested. But no one had the same reaction of pure terror I did.

So when he passed out the scalpels I started to panic. "Doesn't there need to be parental permission for something like this?" I hissed at Iggy.

He glanced over at me with a surprised look on his face. "No, not for seniors... Freshmen and sophomores maybe but no, not seniors." He grinned. "Why does poor Maxie get squeamish around icky things?"

I knew he was just joking. But I couldn't help but despise him slightly after saying that. "It's not funny Iggy." I said, my voice barely above a whisper, while glaring at him.

His eye brows drew together confusedly. "Are you really freaked out?" He asked, all joking gone.

I sighed. "I have... issues with stuff like this."

His eyes seemed to soften with sympathy. "Alright, then I'll do the actual... dissecting, and you'll take notes okay?"

I was struck by the thoughtfulness of this gesture. Iggy was being... really nice. After all the times I had shunned him and acted borderline rudely he was still being nice to me.

"Thanks Iggy." I said with what I hoped looked like mucho-gratitude, rather than my usual apathetic self.

I thought if I didn't actually do any of the... um... dissecting, then I would be fine.

Of course not. Cause that would be too easy right? So when Iggy dragged the scalpel across the dead frog's stomach, I almost broke down then and there.

But instead I threw my hand over my mouth to prevent the shriek that was pushing its way out.

Being me, and not being able to fit in, when Iggy turned to me and said "Max?" all I could do was grab my bag and run out of the classroom with everyone staring after me.

I ran out to the back wall where I had sat with Iggy earlier, but on the inside I was much farther away.

_Flashback:_

_I was eight years old again. I had been on the school for about a year. Every day the whitecoats had brought on a fresh hell. It was all different; obstacle courses, memory testing, seeing what chemicals I could withstand in my bloodstream and which ones I couldn't. You know the usual stuff. _

_But a few scientists had gone... well... rogue. _

_Don't get me wrong, all the whitecoats were maniacs, but they followed orders of their superiors. These two, they had gone off the wire. _

_I was the only successful recombinant DNA life form so I was somewhat of a special project around here._

_Only the best of the best were allowed to work on me, and to test me. All the other scientists could do was watch._

_Apparently these two scientists were tired of watching and see what I could do. They wanted to see what I _was.

_So in the middle of the night they took eight-year-old me out of my cage where I was trying to get some well deserved shut eye. At first I thought it was just another test, like to see if I could operate while half asleep. But when I didn't recognize them and they took me into one of the really private operating rooms I knew that wasn't the case._

_Like the others times I was operated on, they didn't give anything to ease the pain or put me under, they only gave me something that would stop my ability to move._

_I heard their horrible voices, so critical and formal, like this was a science experiment and not murder._

"_It will be interesting to see how different the nerve endings in the brain are, they were modified."_

_The other whitecoat nodded in approval. "Yes, but we must do the innards first, I want to see how long it survives." _

_I steeled myself. Even as an eight year old I was strong. I would survive this. I could survive anything. I was Max Batcheldar, and I would do my father proud. I couldn't die yet, not without meeting my mother, not without showing the little boy I had met the sky like I promised._

_They sharpened the scalpel. I watched in horror as they dragged it slowly, deeply, and painfully across my stomach. They were going to take me apart._

_Through the pain I heard the snap of rubber gloves being put on, they were going to bring out everything that was inside me. They were literally going to kill me piece by piece._

_I'm pretty sure that's when I passed out. All I remember after that was the door bursting open and shouting voice, after that, nothing. Just waking up in my crate with gauze wrapped around my half healed stomach._

"Max?" I heard. Huh? It wasn't lunch, why was anyone out here?

My eyelids slid open. I had my head between my knees in the fetal position.

Then all I could see were a pair of black eyes. "Max, are you alright?" he asked, while having his hand on my forehead as if to check my temperature.

Startled by his sudden appearance, I scrambled down the wall as fast as I could and went into a fighting stance.

"Max?" he questioned. But I was too far gone. I wouldn't be able to calm down with anyone right there. Fang raised his hands up in the 'I surrender' position and slowly approached me. "Max, you have a fever, why don't you let me just take you to the nurse's office." Of course I had a fever. My temperature is normal at about 104˚ but Fang didn't know that.

_Max. You're coming off as insane. Calm down._ I tried a few deep breaths. Nope. _CALM DOWN MAX!_

What relaxed me? Singing, for one. Guitar, piano, flying. But all those things were useless right now.

Poetry. Bingo.

I closed my eyes and whispered my favourite poem under my breath.

_Some say the world will end in fire,  
Some say in ice.  
From what I've tasted of desire  
I hold with those who favour fire.  
But if it had to perish twice,  
I think I know enough of hate  
To say that for destruction ice  
Is also great  
And would suffice. _

My eyelids slid open and I realized my position. I was standing half crouched; ready to spring, and had my hands clenched into lethal fists.

Fang was still there, hands raised, trying to coax me over. I immediately relaxed my hands and posture.

"Sorry. You caught me at a bad time." I uttered. Fang's eyes seemed to calm down slightly. He had been _scared_ of me.

He may have been smarter than I had pegged him for.

"Do I ever catch you at a good time?" He inquired. I snorted. When he was around it became a bad time. He took a step towards me, but cautiously. We were about two feet apart. "I should get you to the nurse."

I had internal walls. There was an entrance to them, but only I had the key and I didn't let many people in.

But Ella, Valencia, Iggy, Nudge, Angel and even Gazzy had been slowly chipping at them away. And I hadn't noticed.

_Well I have now._ So I lifted my chin, reinforced my walls and replied "I'm fine."

*-*-8_8_

"Alright. Today we are starting soccer." Jefferson said. Yeah he was still working here. But the principal insisted that if he took one more step out of line he would be fired. "I'm going to partner you up and each team will go to an assigned net and try to get the ball past the other player."

He droned on about how to keep your eye on the ball and to try your hardest or you would fail. Then he started to call out names. I noticed Fang was paired with Lisa and I snickered internally. I pegged her as a person who hated sports when I first saw her. She was complete _rubbish_ it was hilarious.

"Maximum Ride!" was called.

I had serious attention span issues "Mm?" I responded.

The gym teacher's face was already an unattractive tomato red. "You will be partnered with Dylan Skye. Proceed to your assigned net." All the other students were waiting with anticipation for my response.

I just shrugged and walked over to one of the several half sized nets placed on the field.

As Dylan passed Jefferson I heard Jefferson mutter "Whip her ass."

Oh so it was like that was it? Hadn't I creamed Dylan in running anyway?

Then I remembered something Ella had told me. "He never gets into big trouble because he's captain of the soccer team." She had said with a look of annoyance on her face.

So I decided to play a game. "Dylan?" I prompted in my best innocent voice.

"Yeah?" he asked surprised voice in regards to my new timid attitude.

"Well, I've never really been on a soccer team or anything so would you mind going easy on me?"

He gave me a smug smirk. "I don't know if it'll help, but sure sweetheart."

I tried to smile. But it came out as more of a grimace. There was only one person I permitted to call me sweetheart. It wasn't him.

"Should I kick first or you?" he asked holding the soccer ball.

"I guess I'll get it over with..." I sighed. Fang, who had was in the net next to me looked over with confusion.

I took the ball and headed over to the line Jefferson had put to indicated where the person kicking should stand. Dylan went into net.

I drew my leg back awkwardly and made it look I was putting all the force I possessed into kicking it. It barely made it to the net.

"See?" I called to Dylan.

He had that smug look on his face again. "I could kick now if you want."

"No I should do all five." I replied mock sullenly.

I made two more crappy kicks just to throw him off. So he was barely paying attention when with hardly any force I kicked it perfectly into the top corner of the net.

"What was that?" he yelled with an astonished look on his face.

I let a grin spread across my face. "Who knew?"

He glared at me. "Alright. No more flukes. I'm ready now." He bent into an athletic stance and passed the ball over.

I almost laughed. Let's see him catch this.

I bounced the ball a few times with my knees. When it was at the perfect level I wrenched my left leg into the air, and kicked the ball with almost full strength right at Dylan.

It hit him right in the chest, he toppled over and with the momentum left over flew into the back of the net. I jogged over to him.

"Dylan you're not following instructions." I berated him. "You were supposed to whip _my_ ass. Not the other way around!"

I looked at the class. Almost all of them were staring at me. "I think he needs to go see the nurse. His ass just got whipped pretty hard." I said to a purple faced Jefferson and went to practice dribbling.

**RnR!**


	15. Chapter 14

**I KNOW! I AM SO HORRIBLE!** **But my stupid English teacher assigned 3 essays before the break! So I couldn't get it done on time! Right Well at least it's an awesome chapter and its uber long. WELL! I hereby promise at least one (possibly two) chapters before the end of march break, then its back to the two weeks and two days thing. Oh yeah, and I totally deserve virtual face palms. ANYWAYS! Enjoy and review!**

**-Lil Q (hehe that rhymed) Ahem. Sorry. **

Chapter fourteen:

I laid with my hands behind my head as I listened to Ella and Dr. Martinez's conversation downstairs.

"Do you have any idea what's wrong? She's been like this for at least a week." Valencia said.

The lab incident had reminded me of who I was. I wasn't some poor kid whose parents had died and gotten a wonderful second chance. I was a freak, some mutant _thing_ that didn't really have any purpose barging in on these peoples' lives.

What if the school found me? They could be in danger. If I was being honest with myself, I would say that I _liked_ these people. I cared about them. Before I was pulling back because I was scared of them. Now I was pulling back because I was scared _for_ them.

"I don't know. She had this little spat with _Lisa._" Ella said the name like it was slime. "She was mad after that, but Max doesn't seem like someone to have something like that bother her. Iggy said something in science class made her run out, so that might have been it. Iggy said Fang had a free period then, and when I asked Fang about it he said he had seen her, but he wouldn't say anything else."

I sat up abruptly. Why hadn't he said anything? I clearly wasn't his favourite person, nor he mine. Maybe he thought it would be worse for me if Ella and Valencia couldn't help me? No, Fang didn't seem that malicious. But he_ was_ dating Lisa, and she had enough malice to go around.

"Well whatever the reason we have to do _something_. I don't want her to be sad." Valencia said. "Being with Angel and Gazzy seems to put her in a good mood. Why don't we get her to take them to the park tomorrow?"

I could practically see Ella's nod of agreement. "Why don't we get Fang to go along? He always seems good at that sort of thing. Remember when Nudge was all upset and no one could get her to talk but Fang?"

"I don't know Ell, sweetie. They don't seem to get on very well."

"Oh trust me; Fang will be on his best behaviour. He owes me one." What was that all about?

Whatever. I would go tomorrow, but only to get answers.

*-*-8_8_

"MAX! Maxmaxmaxmaxmax!" Angel shouted as she ran and jumped into my arms. I couldn't help it; I laughed and spun her around.

After I set her down I heard the sound of small creeping footsteps behind me. Angel had an all-too-innocent look on her face.

"Sneak attack!" Gazzy yelled at the top of his lungs, and jumped on my back.

I snorted. "Maybe next time Gazzy." I said as moved him from the back and placed him in front of me.

Gazzy looked a lot like Angel. He had the same face shape, height, eye color, skin tone, and hair colour. He looked basically just like a boy version of her. Although, his hair wasn't curled; it was cropped short and stuck up everywhere on his head.

He had a look of disappointment on his face. "Why can you always tell when I'm coming? I got Fang last week and he hears _everything_." I let out a chuckle and ruffled Gazzy's hair as I pictured Fang's reaction to one of Gazzy's sneak attacks.

We were standing on my driveway, waiting for Fang to come out. I could hear him bickering with Ella, but I couldn't understand what they were saying because the door was closed. What? I'm not superman.

Oh bitter irony, how I loathe thee.

I heard a click and Fang traipsed smoothly out the front door.

"Alright." I said as Fang came up. "We can go now that slowpoke has joined us." Fang gave me a sardonic look. "Let's get this over with." I muttered through Angel and Gazzy's giggles.

"I heard that." Fang stated, suddenly beside me. I simply shrugged.

*-*-8_8_

The walk to the park had been nothing short of awkward. Fang and I walking stiffly beside each other, added to Gazzy and Angel's trying to get us all hold hands, well it was an experience I could have lived without.

When we got to the park Angel and Gazzy immediately ran to the playground to play with the other kids.

Wonderful. 12 and up not allowed on. I sighed, sat on one of the benches and waited for the third degree.

I didn't get one. Fang just silently sat next to me. It was slightly awkward at first but after about ten minutes I was getting irritated. What was he waiting for? It's like he's mocking me.

"What? No Spanish inquisition?" I finally asked. He shrugged.

"I know Ella sent you to talk to me."There was that irksome shrug again.

I was about to lapse into an angry silence when he said "I figure if you don't want to talk anyone, that's your business, not mine."

I have been sneaked up on and attacked more than I can count. I have gone through um... creative experiments. But I don't think I've ever been this shocked. "Is that why you haven't told Ella about the... um... incident last week?"

"I figure you were having a bad day."

"Actually I"- I started. Was I really about to tell him why I was upset? "Oh you're good. Excellent tactic. You almost got me." I shook my head. "Reverse psychology. Duh."

Fang actually flashed me a brief crooked smile. I marvelled at how it lighted up his face. "I told Ella it wouldn't work. You don't seem the type of person to fall for that."

"So why didn't you?"

"What?"

"Tell Ella." I clarified.

He shrugged. "You were upset, I wasn't actually clear on what was happening, and I figure, if you tell her you tell her, but if anyone else did it wouldn't make a difference because you wouldn't say why."

I allowed a small smile to grace my lips. "You're smarter than I pegged you for. And maybe more considerate."

"Thanks." He said.

"That doesn't mean I like you." I said.

"Wouldn't even think of it." But there was a small grin on his face. He elbowed me lightly. Really Fang? Really?

"Please tell me you didn't just do the flirty elbow thing."I said.

Ugh, he didn't even look embarrassed. He just raised his eyebrows. "Hey, you're super Max. You shouldn't have even felt that." I just rolled my eyes.

"You know, I'm not that bad of a guy, Max."

"Could've fooled me." I said, staring straight ahead.

He snorted. "You're not exactly a cup of tea either."

I glared at him. "Cup of tea?" I said snarkily. "What are you British?"

"Maybe I am." Fang said in a completely fake British accent.

I gave him a blank look, but unlike most people, he didn't drop my gaze. He just kept looking back.

"Ha! You blinked!" I said.

"No I didn't." He said, but as he did, he blinked. I gave him a superior stare. "Shit." He muttered.

"Tsk Tsk, Fang."

Fang rolled his eyes, and apparently giving up, he faced the playground.

Maybe today was a day for second chances. Ella took a chance on me; I would take a chance on Fang.

So I elbowed him back.

Fang glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes in surprise.

We both stared straight ahead for about five minutes when out of nowhere I landed with an "Oof!" on the wood chip covered ground. I looked up to see Fang laughing. No, not chuckling or chortling or whatever the heck he usually does, but honest to goodness laughing.

I grinned, snatched up some woodchips and threw them in his face.

Now it was _my_ turn to laugh as Fang had to spit them out. Fang, who was always so calm and cool under pressure.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. Thus started to biggest play fight in the history of the world. It lasted about five minutes, but it ended with me sitting on Fang's shoulders noogie-ing him while he was spinning around trying to get me off.

The reason it ended was because some park official made us stop our "shenanigans" and leave the park immediately. Not cool.

So we ended up taking a disgruntled Angel and Gazzy back home.

Anne was over at our house because she and Valencia were "enjoying some tea". So when Angel and Gazzy came in they immediately said "Max and Fang got us kicked out of the park!"

*-*-8_8_

"You know I've never bolted to get out of punishment before." I said to Fang.

He snorted. "You've never lived then." He said from his branch. We had run into the forest that was behind my house and found a tree with the biggest branches we could find.

"Isn't that a bit melodramatic?"

"I was kidding." He replied stoically.

I laughed. "It's kind of hard to tell with you."

Fang relaxed into the rough bark of the tree trunk, and I did the same. A cool breeze whisked by and I felt... calm. Which was totally weird for me. I was supposed to be scared. I was supposed to be worrying about the danger I was putting everyone in. But, I was just... calm.

"I've never seen that look on your face before." Fang commented. My eyes opened in surprise.

"You haven't really seen me much before."

He shrugged. "Hey Max?"

"Hm?"

"How about we stop this stupid feud and try to be friends?" He asked. I looked up at him and studied his featured. He seemed sincere. His dark eyes had softened slightly, and when the light hit them just right, they seemed to sparkle.

"Or not..." he trailed off, obviously thinking that my moronic staring was a result of not knowing what to say.

I snapped myself out of it and thought for a minute. How could I say this? "I don't... really know what it means to have a friend." I said, in complete honesty. Fang gave be a look of disbelief. "I've travelled so much, that it's only ever been my family that I've been close to."

It was true. Before August, the only other people I had met besides my family were either evil scientist, experiments, or people who wanted to buy me.

Fang's smooth, tan face seemed to transform as he frowned. "That sounds... Lonely."

I shrugged. Normally, I wouldn't add anything else. But something about Fang just made me talk, like he was an old friend. "It could be, at times. But I love- loved my family." I sighed the past tense was slightly close to home.

"How about a truce then?" He asked.

I let out a small smile. "Sure. Maybe we can work our way up from there."

*-*-8_8_

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I flipped it open to see a text from Fang.

_English essays suck. What are you doing?_ He said. Yup. That was Fang. Obnoxious and to the point, and under ten words!

_Ella and I are supposed to be cleaning the attic, but she seems to have ditched me. _I texted back.

I guess you could say Fang and I were friends. At home, not much at school. He still had his slut of a girlfriend draped over him there.

It had been about two weeks since the park. Talking to Fang about friends made me remember my dad's words. _Don't be afraid to let a few in. _I really needed to keep that in mind huh?

I coughed as I moved a particularly dusty stack of photo albums out. My phone buzzed again, which made me drop a few.

I sighed and checked the text. _Sounds like her. We still on for the park?_

I was about to text back when something caught my eye. One of the photo albums had opened to a page. On that page were a bunch of pictures of me.

I sank down to the ground and pulled the album onto my lap. I looked so happy. I remember tidbit of my life before the school but not much. Looking at these pictures I realized how _happy_ we all were. Valencia- mom- looked at me with so much love, my heart practically broke. In one of the pictures I was sitting on my dad's shoulders, ice cream in hand with a cheeky grin on my face.

I smiled and turned the page. There was a picture of me and a little boy with mushroom cut dark hair, tan skin, and black eyes. Our arms were around each other and we both had the biggest grins in the world on our faces.

As I looked closer at the picture, I realized something important. The little dark haired boy was _Fang_. Looking through the pictures, there were a lot of Fang and I. Sometimes Iggy was in some (he looked like a mini Gazzy with lighter hair).

Looking at me when I was two I could understand why V- mom couldn't tell it was me. For one, the green eyes thing. For two I had chubby cheeks and always had a grin on my face, unlike the frowns that usually occupy my visage now. Now I have thick, wavy, dark gold hair with streaks of chestnut brown. In these pictures I had hair so blonde it was almost white, and it was in thin little ringlets, more often than not in pigtails.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Mom.

"Max? How are you doing? Ella decided to take a break and go to the mall with Nudge, so you don't have to contin"- she stopped when she saw me looking through the album.

Jeez. I wasn't supposed to know who these people were. "Who's this?" I asked, feigning the innocent act. "The little girl doesn't look like Ella."

Mom smiled a sad smile and sat down next to me.

"That's my daughter Maxine." When my mom looked at the book she had so much love in her eyes that I noticed how downright pretty she was. Her thick dark curls framed her face perfectly, she had warm loving features, and ivory skin. Her brown eyes seemed to sparkle as she gazed at the book.

I shook myself out of my trance. Keep up the act. "Where is she now? College?"

Mom shook her head sadly. "She was taken from me when she was very small. The investigators never found anything." Was it a trick of the light? Or did I just see a tear roll down her cheek?

Changing the subject I pointed at my Dad. "Who's he?"

The same sad smile graced hr face once again. But there was something different in it. Resentment? "My husband, Jeb."

Wanting to hear her side of the story, I asked. "Was he taken too?"

"No. He went to try to find her, he didn't come back." I looked at her face. She was so, so sad. I had seen that exact same look on my dad's face whenever he talked about her.

Without thinking I reached out and hugged her. She held me close and I felt a few tears hit my neck. The hug was warm, and... Familiar. Very, very familiar.

"I'm so sorry Mom." I whispered. And I was. I was sorry that I couldn't have been with her sooner. I was sorry that my dad didn't want to find her to take her with us. Because I knew she probably would have been much happier.

She pulled back, her eyes shining. "What?"

"You called me Mom." She stated. Oops. I guess that was kind of weird for me.

"Sorry." I muttered looking down.

She took my chin in her hand. "Don't be. I love you Max." She hugged me again.

I smiled. "You too." We could have been really happy together.

But what about all those times the school found us? They took all three of us, Dad, Ari and I. Wouldn't they have taken Ella and Mom too? Yes. They would.

My dad had been right. She was much safer without us. Well not me. I wanted to know her. I wanted to make up for all they pain she had gone through. I wanted to heal some of my wounds too. I would tell Mom about me, just not now. Not until I was healed.

Just then my phone buzzed in my pocket. I sighed and pulled back to read it.

5 new messages.

"Fang." I mumbled in annoyance. Fang could be the most patient person in the world when it came to other people. He could wait in lines and sit through commercials without complaint. But if you ignore his text messages... Oh you're in for a world of hurt. (Not literally)

"So you two are getting close huh?" Mom said, one arm still around me.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. The closer _we_ get the more annoying _he_ gets."

She laughed. "How about you respond to him, and then we can make some cookies?"

I grinned and nodded with enthusiasm. We all had a lot of healing to do. But with each other and chocolate chip cookies, nothing could go wrong.

But of course, it couldn't ever be that simple.

**RnR!**


	16. Chapter 15

**K so I know I promised another chapter within the March break but I just couldn't do it. And then I completely broke my whole two weeks and two days thing. Blame my effing teachers. And me. You should completely also blame me for not getting homework done. But anyways I suppose you don't want to hear excuses and you just want to read. Yeah well okay. Next chapter will be here by next Tuesday. Not even joking completely serious cause I'm so effing excited for it! It will be sixteen chapters in and you know what sixteen chapters in there has to be a little fax at least. Well stay tuned, RnR and please enjoy this uber long chapter!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter fifteen:

"Did you ever forgive him?" I asked mom, taking my third cookie.

Her usual sunny personality was dampened through our conversation, but I knew that she needed this. She couldn't talk to Ella about it, and she seemed to have too much pride to speak with a shrink. The things was, with her normal mom attitude gone, I was given the insight as to just how smart my Mom was.

A look of concentration spread across her face as she stared out the window that had a stream of sunlight flowing through. Mom took a gulp of milk before answering. "No. I don't think I have." She sighed and a distant look appeared in her eyes. "I think the only way I would ever _really_ forgive him is if he came back."

I dipped a fourth cookie in my glass of milk. "Do you think you could ever move on? If he came back, I mean."

"I think so. After time. But I don't think I would ever forget how much it hurt. After the first month, I guess a part of me knew he wasn't necessarily coming back." Mom drew in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Max. I shouldn't be burdening you with this."

_Actually, it's taking some of the burden off. I'm not completely alone._

"You can tell me anything." I assured her.

She smiled and looked at the plate. "My goodness! They're all gone already?" I gave an impish grin. "We'll just have to make some more."

*-*-8_8_

School sucked. I had figured out that much after the first week or two. Most of the kids were either snobs, pervs, whiners or bitches, and they had all seemed to decide that I was one of the most gossip worthy people here.

I got off my bike just as the people in the in the black jeep beside me got out.

"Hiya Maxie." Iggy said slinging an arm around my shoulders. Ella giggled.

"Iggy. Arm. Now." I growled.

"Maxie. Talk. Robot." I smacked his chest lightly. But still hard enough to get his arm off.

The beep of the jeep locking made me look up to see Fang. "Hi Max." He grinned. "We just got here and you're already beating up Iggy?"

"I like to get a head start on the day."

"That really hurt." Iggy whispered to Ella, from about five feet away.

"It was meant to." I sang over to him.

"How does she do that?" he muttered.

"Hey guys!" Nudge exclaimed, running up to us. We had walked to the entrance way of the school.

Nudge took a deep breath about to start talking about her night or something, when Iggy yelled "Take cover! The Nudge bomb is about to go off!" We laughed as we headed to our lockers. Nudge looked offended.

"I've already got my English stuff." I said. "See you in class guys. Ella, Nudge I'll see you at lunch."

I went to leave. "I've already got my stuff too. I'll go with you." Fang said.

"You guys are leaving me?" Iggy wailed.

"Yeah, pretty much." Fang and I said at the same time.

"It's so creepy when they do that." Ella whispered to Nudge.

"I heard that." Fang and I both said. We looked at each other weirdly and shrugged at the same time.

"Let's just go." I groaned. Fang chuckled.

I smacked him lightly. "Don't laugh at me!"

We were just ten feet from our class room when there was a horrible screeching of "NICKY!"

"Oh dear god." I muttered as Lisa threw her arms around Fang and tried to eat his face.

Fang seemed to be thinking the same thing. His eyes screamed _get this crazy bitch off me!_

Okay well maybe not, but something along those lines.

I tapped her shoulder. "Excuse me? Lisa, sweetie, I think it's time you left. I'm sure there's another garden out there that needs a hoe."

There was the typical crowd forming. Lisa and I had these exchanges regularly and the other students never got tired of seeing Lisa humiliated.

She turned to glare at me, and then made this tragic expression that made her look like she was passing gas. "Nicky, you're not going to let her talk to me like that are you?" she purred, walking her fingers up his chest.

_Ugh, barf me a river._ I thought.

"I'm not getting into this." He said, stepping away from her.

"Ugh!" Lisa shrieked. "I AM SO FUCKING SICK AND TIRED OF YOU TAKNG HER SIDE! _I'M _YOUR GIRLFRIEND, NOT HER!"

I let out a chuckle. "WHAT?" she seethed.

"Turn around." I stage whispered.

Standing behind her was none other than our beloved principal, Mr. Nicholson. He and I had an understanding. If he made sure the teachers didn't mess with me, I wouldn't mess with him or the teachers. Same with the students.

"Miss Jefferson I assume you have an excellent reason for cursing in my halls for the third time this week."

Her eyes widened. Now if this were me, I probably would've responded with something like _Yeah, well, I heard third time's the charm._ In a really bored voice. But this is Lisa, so her amazing mind came up with the ever articulate word of "Um..."

"Yes, well, you can think about it on your way to my office." He looked up at the rest of the students. "Be on your way. Miss Ride, Mr. Walker." He acknowledged us.

When she passed me she muttered. "You're going to regret this."

Yeah right.

I looked over at Fang who had a slightly astonished look on his face, and laughed.

"What?" He looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Did... you see... how red... her face was?" I managed between laughs.

He rolled his eyes and looked around the hallway. "You're causing a scene." With that he grabbed my elbow and dragged me through the doors to one of the staircases in the school.

After I had calmed down I asked "Why are you even dating her?" to be honest, I really wanted to know. I mean the Fang that I had thought him to be fit perfectly with the whole Lisa thing, but the overall decent guy that the real Fang was, didn't.

He shrugged. "Long story." Oh. Nuh uh. He didn't just pull the long story line. That was _my _line.

I checked my watch. "We've got ten minutes to class. I figure that's all the time you'll need, seeing as you have this unfailing ability to condense all your thoughts in to a maximum of three words."

Fang sighed. "Fine." He sat down in front of the wall and patted the spot next to him. I sat down.

After a long breath he started. "I met Lisa in freshman year. She was in my art class. I didn't ever acknowledge her or anything, but one day she came and asked me out." He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I didn't want to be mean, even though she was so fake, so I told her I was busy. She asked me out several times after that, and I kept making excuses. After a while she stopped. But she was _everywhere_. Every time I looked over my shoulder, there she was, watching me." Fang shuddered. I could picture it. Lisa stalking Fang. As creepy as it was, I couldn't help but find it hilarious.

So of course when I burst out laughing again he glared at me. "It's not funny."

I tried to swallow my laughs. "Ahem. Sorry. Um." Chuckle "So, that doesn't tell me why you're dating your stalker."

He eyed me. I held up my right hand. "I swear I'll try my hardest not to laugh."

With a sigh, he continued. "So by the middle of sophomore year, I was always on edge. I was always looking over my shoulder to see if she was there. When she asked me out again, I said yes." One of my eyebrows rose almost of its own accord. Fang held his hands up in surrender. "Don't blame me! I was always on edge and I couldn't take it anymore. So I figured if I went on one date with her and completely botched it, she would leave me alone." It seemed like a reasonable plan. "But nothing worked! The entire time she spent throwing herself at me and we were at some god awful movie! I tried to act like an idiot, but by the next day she was calling me her boyfriend." Fang put his head in his hands.

"Why don't you just break up with her?" I asked confusedly. I mean honestly? He didn't even have to use his full three words, he just needed two: We're over.

"I've tried! But every time I start to she just changes the subject in a way that I can't speak or she leaves!" He threw his hand in the air in exasperation.

I couldn't help it. I laughed. It was just too funny. I mean, Fang, as in _Fang_ with no emotions whatsoever, couldn't break up with someone.

He glared at me. "Alright, I'm leaving."

I sighed. "Wait." And I caught his arm. Then something weird happened. I felt like I was jolted by electricity. Not like static or an actual cable pressed into your skin (yes that has been done to me), but like an almost pleasant sizzling feeling. Fang and I pulled back immediately.

"Um." I cleared my throat and stood up. "Fang you're my..." What was the term? I kind of felt to forward calling him my friend but- you know what? Whatever. "Foster sister's friend, and"- he raised one black eyebrow. I huffed. "Fine, you're _my_ friend. So the point being is that I'm going to do you a favour."

Fang cocked his head to the side and it was adorable. Wait. I didn't say adorable. I said... um... Unfloorable. Yeah that's it.

Whatever.

"And that would be?"

I grinned. "I'm going to break up with Lisa for you."

*-*-8_8_

"Are you sure about this?" Fang asked, as we strode into the cafeteria.

I grinned. "Yup. This is going to be fun."

"For you maybe." He muttered and we sat down at our table. Cliques, as per usual were all grouped together. I saw Nudge, Ella, Iggy, Sam, and J.J. all in line to get their food.

I smacked his arm. "Don't be such a grouch. Do you want to break up with her or not?"

"Yeah I do." He sighed. "Do you know what you're going to say? Do _I_ have to say anything? What if she doesn't believe you?" He questioned.

I looked at Fang. As per usual only a slight amount of emotion was displayed across his face. To most people he would seem completely calm. But to me he looked... frantic. Yeah, that's what it was- Frantic.

I laughed. "Calm down, Nudge." I received a glare for that one. "To answer your questions, no not a clue, probably, and I'll make her believe me."

"Right." He sighed.

I elbowed him. "Hey. Buck up. Who was the first one to stand up to Lisa?"

"You."

"Who continually mocks her one a daily basis?"

"You."

"And who is going to come through for you now?"

He hesitated.

Ass.

"Fang..." I warned.

"You." He sighed.

I grinned. "Good boy!" And patted his head. I gave him a ten dollar bill. "Now why don't you be a good little doggy and fetch me some lunch?"

He rolled his eyes but stood up none the less. "Anything but mystery meat?"

"Yup."

After Fang got into line the rest of the group came to the table, but stopped when they saw the look on my face.

"Why is she smiling like that?" Sam whispered.

"OMG! Maybe she got asked out! That would be so much fun cause Ella and I could dress her up and make her look all pretty and stuff not that she isn't pretty now but she does have a pretty awful fashion sense she has hardly more colour in her wardrobe than Fang but that kind of works for him cause he's got that whole emo look going on but Max doesn't so it would be so much better if she had"-

"Will someone please shut her up?" Lisa said strutting over, accessorized by her hoard of hoes. She glared at me. "And you. Leave, now."

I raised my eyebrows. She was trying to boss _me_ around? Hadn't I proved time and time again that I didn't give a shit about what she said? "Excuse me?"

Fang just walked up with two trays of food when she said. "You heard me, out. I am so sick and tired of you being an attention hog and trying to boss everyone around. You're nothing but a loser in dorky clothes." As she was ranting her face was getting redder and redder, soon it would match her hair. "Most of all I want you to stop trying to flirt with _my_ boyfriend!"

Now I don't know how many times I have mentioned this, but I am uber-claustrophobic. So when this bimbo was ranting and was walking into my personal bubble, I got well... pissed.

Not to mention she was describing basically how _she_ acted around _me_. Except for the Fang being my boyfriend thing. Gross. Not that he's ugly or anything, because he's _not_. He's actually pretty h-

You know what? I'll stop talking now.

As I said, claustrophobia and Lisa was right in my face, so without any of the anger that was burning inside me I calmly said, "You're tainting my air." Honestly! There was this horrible sickly sweet smell emanating from her. Like bubble gum, icing, and sewage. Not really, but still ugh.

Lisa shrieked with indignation, but stepped back none-the-less, and her hoard of hoes did the same.

I stood up and pretended to brush some crumbs off my shirt. I looked up at her with a calm and cool expression on my face, where as Lisa was still breathing raggedly from her rant.

"Not then. Are you done?" I asked, she opened her mouth to reply but I cut her off. "Good. Well. Lisa I'm sorry that I have to be the one to tell you this but"- I looked over at Fang, who was watching the whole situation with a hint of both fear and amusement on his face. When I looked around, I saw that basically the whole cafeteria was looking our way. "Ah screw it. I am happy that I get to do this. On behalf of the other people that sit here- get lost. You're an annoying bitch who no one can stand. And on behalf of your Nicky-poo over there"- I pointed my thumb over my shoulder at Fang –"it's over. He is now officially your ex. So let it be written so let it be done." She gave me a look of confusion. "Ancient Egyptian saying."

The entire hoard was glaring daggers at me. It was pretty funny actually, seeing as their whole faces were covered in tons of makeup. "What makes you think you can break up Nick and me?" she sneered.

Notice how she didn't mention stopping her from sitting here? Yeah it was pretty obvious no one wanted her here. "Fang that's your cue." I gestured to him.

He sighed and looked at her. "Sorry Lisa, it doesn't work between us. It's over." Calm, short and to the point. Yup that's Fang's speech alright.

I thought everything had gone over quite smoothly considering who we were dealing with, but my relief was short-lived.

Lisa let out this blood curdling, nails-on-a-chalkboard banshee screech that I was sure was louder than a jet engine. Now me with my super hearing... yow. Oh well. I'd been through worse.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? _ME?" _she yelled at him. She turned to me and pointed. "YOU! THIS IS ALL _YOUR_ FAULT! EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL YOU SHOWED UP!"

She came up and got in my face. "You're going to regret this."

A'ight. She did not just go there. I could handle her little bitch spats, but being threatened? No. Just no. I didn't do being threatened. Earlier was just a little bitchy retort, now she was serious.

I let out a dark short laugh. "You've said that before without delivering. I wouldn't threaten me if I were you. You have no _idea_ who you're dealing with." I sat down in front of my food abruptly.

"We'll see about that." She muttered so no one could hear. But I did.

Then the stupid whispering started. The click of all those heels aggravated me even more.

**RnR!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Yeah. I know. I`m a week over due. Sorry. Anyways. I have a question for you guys... What day of the week would you prefer I update on? It has to be during the week tho... k? K. **

**-Lil Q**

Chapter sixteen:

"Max, are you sure you're alright?" Fang asked for like the billionth time. Okay second. Same diff.

I cannot believe I just said that.

Whatever. I was still feeling majorly claustrophobic. Like if anything was around me I felt as if I was being crushed. So I was not excited about going through a hallway crammed with people then going to a small parking lot equally crammed with cars and there will probably be a group of people around my bike again and- I'm ranting. No, not just that, I'm _Nudging. _Damn.

"Yeah Max. You've been kind of out of it since lunch." Ella said with a concerned look on her face. I managed a weak smile towards my sister.

"I'm fine; I'm just kind of pissed. I hate being threatened." Shit. I said too much. Now they'll probably ask if I've been threatened before.

"She threatened you?" Fang asked, apparently indignant. "I knew I shouldn't have got you into this."

I rolled my eyes. Only Fang. "Fang 1. Stop blaming yourself. 2. Don't be an idiot, it ill becomes you. I got myself into this. And 3. I'm a big girl I can handle myself." I ruffled his hair, which earned me an eye roll.

It was the end of the day and we were about to head to our respective houses, but I couldn't help the sense of foreboding my stomach had acquired. I had learned long ago not to ignore that. So adding to my aggravation, claustrophobia, and annoyance, I was now on edge. Yay. Note the sarcasm.

"Yeah I'd like to see Lisa try to take on Maxie. It'd probably be a close fight, what with Lisa's claws." Iggy said, his arm around me again. Change that annoyance to _major_ annoyance.

"Iggy, arm. And I could take her any day." I said in a monotone.

"Fang what have you done to Max? She's like a better looking version of you!" He exclaimed, but took his arm off anyways.

I let the sounds of the scuffle that followed fade away as I walked down the hall towards the front doors. I couldn't take it anymore; I had to get to open spaces.

So imagine my surprise when I saw Lisa and the rest of the foot ball team waiting for me outside.

I groaned. "What do you want Lisa?" I sighed, walking up to her. "And cut any crap you have and get to the point please."

She glared at me as she said "I told you you'd regret messing with me." She looked at the team. "Boys."

They formed a circle around me. I suppressed a shudder. I had been in a situation very similar to this one many times before.

Hulking hairy forms flashed behind my eyes, fangs dripping, claws lengthening; getting ready for the kill.

And just like that I was in a fighting stance. I was completely aware of everything around me. My senses and thoughts were calculating, all emotions gone. I was living off instinct now, something I knew how to do. My instincts told me how to do one thing: survive, no matter the cost.

I knew these weren't human.

_Max. _I chided myself. _They're teenage human boys. They can't do anything to you. Act normal and avoid suspicion. _

I stood up straight, becoming myself again. The team was looking at me like I was a dangerous caged animal. Like I couldn't harm them, but they were still scared shitless.

As I looked over their faces, I could see that most of them were still very much children. Sure they acted like the big tough players, but under all that bull they were just kids. Misguided hormone crazed kids, but kids all the same.

I could tell by their expressions, they were surprised their opponent was me.

"A whole football team of beefy boys against one girl, it seems hardly fair." Talk to them, play on their insecurities.

"Yo Lisa." One of the particularly burly guys said. "You said we was beatin' up some dude named Max. This is just some chic. I aint hitting no chic."

Keep calm. They can't hurt you. They are just moronic teenage human boys. You're faster, stronger, and smarter; you have nothing to worry about.

I really needed to stop talking to myself as a first step.

I raised my chin. A crowd had started to form around the football players (naturally) so I had to keep a relatively Max-like appearance. As in not a mutant freak you could take on a whole football team without breaking so much as a fingernail. "Lisa, I just have an observation for you. You were being a bitch, so I stood up to you. You were basically forcing someone in a relationship with you, and I ended it. I was simply acting as a holder of justice and fairness, and now you get a whole team of football players to come and hurt me. Where is the fairness in that?" I looked at her hard. She actually looked taken aback. What? Like I wasn't capable of rational thought.

"Now, if you'll excuse me." I said pushing through the circle. But me, being Max I couldn't resist throwing over my shoulder "But anytime any of you want to take me on, be my guest. I'll let you pick your punishment."

Damn my mouth gets me into trouble sometimes.

I didn't take notice of the sound of heels hurrying after me, I figured my reflexes were fast enough to stop any of her attacks. But Lisa did something I never would have guessed and normal person would do, she pushed me.

I couldn't help it; I stumbled, I wasn't expecting a blow to the side.

I also wasn't expecting a school bus coming at me at fifty miles an hour.

*-*-8_8_

I didn't think. I just acted. On instinct alone, I threw myself up into the air, only to realize that my wings couldn't come out of my shirt, and to let them out would blow my cover more that it was already gone.

So I braced myself, as if I were about to land quickly from a flight. Knees bent stomach in, legs apart.

I landed with a thud on the roof of the bus. I was barely aware of the sounds of students screaming. Under my feet I felt that the bus was about to quickly stop, which would have thrown me off. _That_ would have done some damage. So I barely stopped when I landed. I ran to the end of the roof and leapt off, landing in a crouch with one hand on the ground.

Not a soul stirred. Every car had stopped, every person was frozen, and it was as if time itself was at a standstill.

I saw red. Oh boy, did I see fucking red.

I stood up with exaggerated slowness. Just at the entrance of the school Fang, Iggy, Ella, and Nudge stood immobile with their mouths agape.

It seemed the entire school was there.

I turned to face my target, becoming more animal than human. Like the hawk 2% of my DNA had been extracted from, I was a hunter. If I had had talons they would have been out stretched. The expression on my face was that of a horror movie, the ones you _don't_ watch because you know you won't be able to sleep for weeks if you do.

A grim sense of satisfaction entered my consciousness as Lisa's face paled.

"You're going to regret that." I said, echoing her previous words. "And I don't give empty threats."

I stalked towards her slowly, and she gulped. "So you'd thought you'd get the team to rough me up a bit huh? Did you plan pushing me in front of a bus or was that an act of passion?" I was about four feet from her now.

"See the problem with you Lisa, is that you can't handle any situation where there's a possibility you'll lose." I smirked. "In normal situation and you still would have lost, I would be hurt or dead, and you would go to juvey. Face it Lisa, you can't win with me. So Fuck. Off."

I turned around to stalk off, observing that the atmosphere decided to help me today; it was cloudy. I _really_ needed to fly. Then a hand grabbed my shoulder.

Did she have a mental disability or something? I thought, even though it's not as prominent in them, humans can sense danger. Can't they?

I was like lightning. I spun around, grabbed her hand and twisted it at an awkward angle before she could get a word out.

"What you don't realize is that I've trained with descendents of the samari in Japan." True. "I could shatter every single bone in your arm from your finger tips to your shoulder with a certain amount of pressure." Lisa's face twisted into an expression of anguish and she let out a small squeak.

I let it go. "Don't ever test me again." I snarled. "It aggravates me."

It was when I looked up I realized my mistake. The entire student body were staring at me with the same expression etched on each of their faces. Fear.

Seeing the people that I had started to consider as my friends was the worst. Nudge's expression was one of flat out horror. Iggy looked... confused... and scared. Ella looked like she had just taken a bite out of a lemon.

And then there was Fang. I had never seen flat out everyone can see it emotion on Fang's face before. I could tell how he was feeling, but just because I knew the tricks in hiding your emotions. But right now, blatantly on his face were shock and rage.

At first I thought it was at me. But when I really looked at him he was glaring as hard as he possibly could at Lisa. It was powerful enough to make _me_ want to shrink back.

That's when I realized I was in too deep. I knew I cared about everyone here. I had decided that it wasn't such a bad thing. But now I was scared of what they'd think of me. I was fricken terrified that Fang was mad at me! I could probably pick him up and toss him twenty feet, and yet I was scared of his anger.

So I did what I always did when I was scared, or panicked. It was a common fall back for me.

I ran.

*-*-8_8_

Have I ever mentioned how much I love to fly? Well I do. It calms m more than anything else, I'm in my element, no one can reach me except jets, which I can dodge, and hawks, who can throw a hell of a party.

No joke.

I had run, not at full speed (I'm very proud of this) to my motorcycle and sped off to the bottom of the cliff.

I am so glad I put water resistant lacquer on my bike because it was _pouring._ I knew it was gonna be a bitch to land, but right now, about the clouds, sun still shining, and yet the sound of pouring rain, there's nothing better. Except maybe, that ten seconds when you're flying in the rain right before your wings go numb and your feathers soak. Those ten seconds when you feel like you're washed of impurities as the pounding rain relaxes your shoulder muscles.

I flew to the spot right above where I left my bike. How did I know where it was? I'm a bird for god's sake. We can remember flight patterns from thousands of years ago. It's almost as if I have a built in GPS except without the annoying voice.

I took a deep breath and blasted through the clouds. The thing about clouds? They're pure moisture. You go through them; you're soaked before you even hit the rain. Being up that high during a rainstorm is exhilarating. You have to zoom to the ground as fast as you can before your feathers get too heavy. And since you're going to fast you have to time it perfectly so you land on your feet without breaking your ankles.

How do I do this? Right before I hit the ground I tuck my wings in, bend my knees and brace me hands for impact. I end up in a sort of crouch, that I'm not gonna lie; it makes me look pretty badass. It also makes it so my whole body absorbs to shock of landing, not just my ankles, which because of my thin bird bones, are pretty damn easy to snap.

This move took months to perfect and hurt like hell the first several times it was executed. But now it was just a landing.

I stood up straight and look to my right. Yep. Two feet away was my MV Agusta F4CC. I pulled my leather jacket from under a bush. Shit. It was damp. Well at least it was better than being soaked.

I pulled my jacket over my shirt and my wings. Damn, this was a nice shirt-a navy blue button up- it was a shame that I had to put slits in the back.

_Might as well get this over with._ I thought as a swung my leg over my bike.

**I know I know I know. No fax. But there definitely will be some in the next chapter. I didn`t wants you guys to wait for the chapter any longer so... Anyways... WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? Why is Lisa such a bitch? Who the hell knows. Oh right. Me. ;)**

**Review please.**


	18. Chapter 17

**That's right. In less than two weeks I have updated. All hail me. ;) Anyways... I worked REALLY hard on this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. And thanks to those people who actually responded on what day to update on... even if it only was 'I don't care when, as long as you do!' K. Well as sweet as that was, I need a due date. SO WILL EVERYONE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK TO UPDATE! Oh and review on whatcha thought of the chapter too. **

**RnR!**

**~Lil Q**

Chapter seventeen:

I looked at the house with apprehension. All the lights were on and shadows moved frantically within.

I had moved my bike by hand from the end of the street to the bottom of the driveway so no one knew I was here.

With a sigh I pulled it over to the side of the house and sat on it sideways.

There have been very few times in my life in which I didn't know what to do. There had always been some solution that if it didn't fix the problem, it would help it, at least a little.

Even when I was eleven, and was driving a stolen car that got pulled over with my seven year old brother in the front seat, I knew what to say to the officer.

But after breaking out in a fight at school after doing an acrobatic move that no human could possibly pull off and then disappearing for five hours, I had no fucking clue what to say to my foster mom, who was really my real mom.

I have issues.

_Maybe you could just tell her the truth._

Oh shut up conscience.

Maybe I could get into my room through my balcony and pretend I was there the whole time?

Oh God. I'm starting to sound like a normal teenager trying to sneak back into the house after a party.

I felt like shrieking, throwing a fit, and breaking down sobbing. I had screwed things up that much.

But I couldn't do any of these things; I was Maxine Batcheldar. Better yet, I was Maximum Ride. Nothing could bring me down. I had been through worse, I could get through this, excuse or not.

I took a deep breath and strode towards the door.

*-*-8_8_

As quiet as a ghost, I was standing behind the wall that separated the living room and the front hall. I just had to turn and step through the archway, and they would know I was here.

"Where could she have gone?" Mom cried. "Why won't she answer her phone?" Oops. I fished my phone out of my pocket, it was turned off. Damn. I cursed myself. That would have been helpful.

"Mom, I'm sure she'll turn up!" Ella.

"Yeah, Val, Max is like a bad toe fungus." Iggy said. What? "It may be kind of annoying, but it grows on you. And it always comes back."

Silence. Oh for the love of God.

"Iggy even _I _have nothing to say to that." Nudge said.

I really had to fight the urge to do a face palm. As annoying as it was, and half assed, Iggy, just complimented me, sort of. And the rest of them seemed worried about me.

"You know, they've been frantic all afternoon, maybe you should show yourself." A voice whispered in my ear.

And I nearly had a _heart attack_. Fang. I probably jumped about a foot in the air. Which is weird. I've trained myself not to react to surprises, or if I was surprised to immediately go into attack mode, but I didn't. I _knew_ it was Fang, as soon as he spoke. Had I familiarized myself with him so much?

His dark onyx eyes were intense, like he was trying to see as much of me as he could before I bolted again.

He cocked his head to the side a little and still managed to look sexy- wait. I didn't say that. I said... flexy. Yeah. Like flexing the muscles. But that's not the point.

His eyes seemed to say: _Why did you run?_

I shrugged. He nodded his head into the family room. He was going in; I could too, but didn't have to.

When he went around the corner Valencia said "Fang, sweetie, you seem to know her better than any of us. Do you have any idea where she could be?"

He sighed. I could hear it now; she's right around the corner. The dead silence would come after, followed by footsteps as they all glared at me and then-

"I don't know." He said. My heart swelled. He did that for me? "She probably just need some time. I'm sure she'll turn up any second." Thanks for that last bit Fang.

That was sarcasm by the way.

I took a deep breath and turned the corner, and cleared my throat.

Four faces looked up at me with shock and another with a bit of concern.

I was in too deep; it was time to swim ashore.

"I'm sorry I worried you. I apologise for my display at school, I didn't intend for it to happen. I also apologise for any negative repercussions my actions may cause you." I said. There. That ought to cover all the bases.

I dashed up stairs before their tongues untied.

*-*-8_8_

About five minutes of whispering and twenty-three footsteps up the stairs and down the hall, Fang knocked at my door.

But, I was outside on the balcony strumming my guitar, so I wasn't supposed to be able to hear him.

_Maybe if I continue to ignore him he'll go away._

The French door opened. "Max..." Worth a shot.

I looked up at him with an expression that would have looked mildly interested, like a friend who was listening to how your weekend went, out of politeness, not because it would have any impact whatsoever on their own life.

His expression was one of scrutiny. I'm not going to lie. Fang is the only person who has ever been able to read me. Even my Dad couldn't figure out what I was thinking, but with Fang, it's like I'm an open book.

Right now though, I was closed. I had a lock that only I had a key to. So all he would be able to find was calm polite, Max.

Fang gave me a look that was a mix between anger and concern. "Don't do that. Don't shut me out." He said.

What. The. Crap. Pretences, pretences. "I don't know what you mean." Perfectly cheerful, but not overly peppy.

"Max, what you did at school..." So he noticed. Great. He sighed. "Alright fine. Have it your way." His eyed raked across my face continuously, trying to figure me out. It was nerve-wracking. "Well, Iggy, Nudge, and I are gonna crash here tonight. We'll be watching a few horror flicks. You gonna join?"

Get to shallow water. "Actually I have to finish up some homework." Perfect.

One dark eyebrow rose. "Oh? From what class?"

Damn. He called my bluff. "Science." I said. Ha! He didn't have that class with me.

"Really? Because I distinctly remember Iggy asking you for the worksheet to check his answers afterwards."

... GODAMMIT! I placed my guitar on the ground and stood up in front of him. He was about three inches taller than me, but I still managed some intimidation. "What do you want from me?" I half whisper/shrieked. Stupid temper.

He rolled his eyes. I had half an urge to smack him. Then he gave me a look of utmost seriousness. "I want to know if you're okay, and I want to know where you went."

Max. What happened to your pretence? Calm. Cool. Collected. I smiled at him. "I'm fine thanks." _No I'm not. I'm having flashbacks of half wolf mutants circling me and evil scientists who only want to do me harm._ "And I was just driving around for awhile. I'm sorry if I worried you."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Fang only does this when he's _extremely _frustrated. When Fang is frustrated he pulls out the guns. He's not the yelling sort, but when he's mad, he's just about as scary as me.

Fang gave me a hard look. "Max. Enough bullshit." He stated. Did I mention that when Fang's angry his sentences get even shorter? "I know you. This isn't how you act."

This made _me_ angry at _him. _Which now that I think about it was probably what he wanted. He knows about my temper. Who did he think he was? Telling me how I could and couldn't act. "Fang, you're treading in dangerous water here." I warned.

"Well as least that's how you really feel."

... "What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

He glared at me. "I am so sick and tired of you trying to be things you're not! You always seem to have if not a pretence going, and if not, you're hiding something about yourself. I can tell when you're guarding you expression!"

My jaw just about dropped. He had asked_ the_ question. There was a sort of unspoken rule between him and me, that we didn't use this weird mind connection thing we had against one another. But he had used it to figure out I was hiding something.

And he asked what it was.

I sank down in one of the chairs; suddenly feeling very tired, and rubbed my temples. The stupid thing was that even if I were inclined to tell him one of my secrets, I wouldn't have the faintest idea which one to tell.

How about that Dr. Martinez was really my mom? Or that I was ten times stronger than him? Or that both my parents were alive? Or that hey, I have _wings_.

I heard Fang sit down than move the other chair closer to mine. Suddenly there was a hand, rubbing my shoulders. I'm not gonna lie; it felt really good. Whenever Fang and I touch, there's this weird electric feeling. I relaxed slightly. Fang's hand moved up to the back of my neck. Normally I would have flinched, being in a vulnerable position, but with Fang I felt... different. Safe. His fingers dragged along my jaw, leaving a buzzing sensation. I repressed a shudder.

His index finger curled under my chin, turning my face up so he could see it. I was struck by the proximity. His face was only inches from mine; I could see the little flecks of gold in his eyes, shining through the black. "Max, why won't you let me in?" he breathed, and I felt it wash over my face. It smelt like Fang; like a woodsy homey smell.

I turned my face away. "Because I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

"Both!" I threw my hands up in the air, and stood up, he did the same.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

I didn't get it. A few seconds ago we were so, so close, almost _kissing _for God's sake. But somehow now we were yelling at each other.

I groaned. "I don't know! ...It's just there are things about me... I'm not..." I sighed in defeat. "I don't know how to say..." I trailed off.

Fang's features were inscrutable. He looked like he was thinking really hard. Then he stepped closer to me, so close that our bodies were touching, he leaned in and... He reached around me to grab my guitar.

I couldn't breathe, not from claustrophobia, not from fear for my guitar, but just from being next to Fang. Oh God. What was _happening_ to me?

Fang took a step back and handed me the guitar. "Then sing it." He said.

"What?"

He smiled. An honest to God smile from Fang, not a big grin mind you, but it was nice. "The only time I've ever really heard you express yourself is when you were singing that song out here a few weeks ago. You wrote it didn't you? And don't try to lie."

I sighed. "Yeah. I did. But... I've never had someone... you know... like in the same room as me when I write a song."

Fang's eyes were dark and serious. "Please Max?"

I sighed. "Come on." And grabbed his hand o pull him inside.

*-*-8_8_

Fang was silent the entire time I was writing the song. I didn't sing any of it out loud but he heard bits of the melody.

I sighed and turned to him. "I'm done."

He sat down on the couch next to me.

I sighed, and started to play.

**(A/N: I changed one or two words, pay attention.)**

_From the scrapes and bruises__  
__To the familiar abuses__  
__I'll kick and scream but it never changes anything___

_I could spill my guts out__  
__Wearing my best little girl pout__  
__And I almost missed it__  
__But nobody said that this was gonna be easy___

_This is not the girl I hoped to be__  
__And I'm just trying to stop the bleeding__  
__I don't know how to word it__  
__I just started to deserve it__  
__And all my, all my faces are alibis__  
__And me, I'm half the girl I wanted to be___

_Most times it all comes out wrong__  
__I don't know the words but I'll hum along__  
__There's nothing familiar here anymore__  
__To anyone or anything left to feel alive___

_And I still taste that sickness__  
__And it makes me crazy without it at best__  
__But I'm in the same place I used to be__  
__But I'm trying harder not to be___

_This is not the girl I hoped to be__  
__And I'm just trying to stop the bleeding__  
__I don't know how to word it__  
__I just started to deserve it__  
__And all my, all my faces are alibis__  
__And me, I'm half the girl I wanted to be___

_So what am I? What am I? So what am I?___

_And all my, all my faces are alibis__  
__This is not the girl I hoped to be__  
__And I'm just trying to stop the bleeding__  
__I don't know how the words go__  
__I just started not to say no___

_Don't want it, don't get it__  
__I know you won't regret it__  
__Don't surface, don't surface__  
__And I feel so damned worthless__  
__Another day is gone and all my faces are alibis__  
__All my faces are alibis___

_And me, I'm half the girl I wanted to be_

I couldn't look at him. But I spoke. "I'm not who you think I am, Fang. I can't tell you who I am. I don't fit in here. My world is much different, much harsher, more stressful, but that's the norm for me. Anything else... it puts me on edge." I admitted. I couldn't believe what I was saying! Basically I was telling Fang that I'm some kind of freak, I had been lying to him the whole time, and I wasn't about to tell him the truth. Why was it him? "But... I'm not on edge with you. Even with Ella I'm a little nervous, but you... you open me up."

There was silence. I finally looked at Fang. He didn't look angry. For once, his emotions were displayed for the entire world to see across his face, but I didn't know what they were... all I could say was that they were intense.

So I was only a little surprised when he moved my guitar, leaned down and kissed me.

**RnR!**

**Sorry that song was Alibis by Marianas Trench**


	19. Chapter 18

**I know I know I know. Its been over three weeks. But I think this chapter makes up for it, if I do say so myself. Its my FAVOURITE chapter ever, and its the longest one. Just for you guys who hve been waiting so (hopefully) patiently. Excuses for the lateness? ISUs. Even though it was yesterday (its around midnight here) Happy Victoria day fellow Canadians! Let the fireworks go! And Happy flag day (I think thats what it is) All you Yankees! And to the brits/aussies/anyone else that I may have missed Happy whatever the closest holidays there are for you guys! **

**Enjoy, RnR!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter eighteen:

This is an odd comparison, but Fang kissing me was kind of like I was in a fight. I let go, and my instincts took over.

My hands twined into his hair, and I was surprised to feel that it was softer instead of smooth. My lips moved with his, just as if I was doing a round house kick after an opponent blocked my foot, I went with the momentum he gave me.

One of his hands was around my waist, holding me to him. The other was in my soaked hair.

At the back of my mind I idly wondered if he could feel my wings under the shirt I had changed into before he came up.

Oh shit.

My _wings_.

With a gasp I pulled back and untangled myself from him, and jumped off the couch.

Oh God. This was me and Fang and- Oh God. How the Hell was this pulling back? I had just swum a hundred miles into deeper water.

I don't think I'll ever be able to swim back.

His expression seemed to be just as shocked as I was, as if he hadn't _meant_ to kiss me.

For the second time today I had absolutely no clue what to say.

Then there was a knock on the door startling us both.

I straightened my shirt and checked my hair for disarray then said "Yeah?"

Ella poked her head in. "Hey Max..." she started tentatively. "Is everything okay here?" She directed this question more so towards Fang.

But at the exact same time we both barked out a "Yes."

After a funny glance Ella said "Well we're about to put on the movies, are you guys gonna come down?"

"Yeah, we were just leaving." I said, then dashed out the door.

*-*-8_8_

I've seen enough in my life not to be bothered by horror movies. Not that some of them don't remind me of some of my worst experiences, but they just don't bug me.

When someone or something sneaks up on you, you never have the sense of foreboding that its coming; it's just suddenly there.

So I got through the grudges (1-3) and a few of the saws or whatever with no problem. But I couldn't help the feeling of revulsion when we watched the wolf man.

It reminded me of the erasers of course, but not in the scary curl-up-in-the-fetal-position way. More like the Hollywood-you-suck-it-doesn't-work-like-this way.

It showed the change being a thing of pain. The werewolf guy was fighting it and was supposed to be sympathized with.

It didn't happen this way.

The only time a wolf transformation hurts is when their still pups, the first time they change. Then, in a week they turn adult, and the change is simple. It takes about ten seconds and their usually laughing when it happens.

I surpassed a shudder as I thought of the yellow dripping fangs.

Speaking of fangs. "You want to get out of here?" he whispered; we were sharing the couch.

Leaving with Fang will probably end with an awkward conversation. But was it worth staying here and watching this revolting movie?

No. And Fang is Fang. He'll probably just pretend it didn't happen.

Yeah, I'm so sure.

But that didn't stop me from leaning in and whispering "We might have to be sneaky about it."

I couldn't help smiling when he said "Since when has that been a problem for you?"

*-*-8_8_

We ended up just going to Fang's house. Our parents were all out; Mom at the vet, Mr. & Mrs. Walker on an overnight business trip. Angel and Gazzy at friend's houses.

We were alone. Completely alone.

I still hadn't decided if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet.

I plopped down on Fang's couch, so familiar. I must have done this fifty times before, so why was I nervous now? Fang stood about a foot away, facing the window with his back turned to me. What was his game?

"So what do you want to do?" I asked. I hoped I was just imagining the shake in my voice.

Fang didn't answer; instead he asked "What do you want from me Max?"

"What kind of convoluted question is that?"

He sighed, still not looking at me. "Just answer it Max."

I thought about it. I liked Fang. I really, really liked him, as a friend. But when he kissed me- I felt... Like that was where I should be, for the first time I felt like I belonged.

I sighed. "Have you ever felt alone Fang?"

This got his attention. He finally looked at me with his obsidian eyes shining. "What do you mean?"

"Like even when you're surrounded by people, you just don't... fit in. No one understands you. You're alone."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "You could say that." I figured as much. The way he flinches whenever anyone outside our friends makes physical contact, the way he's so smart, the way he silently observes and most of all, they way he exists. He's different than normal humans. "What does this have to do with"-

"That's how I feel." I confessed. This was difficult for me. I hate feelings. I hate being vulnerable. I hate explaining myself. I was doing something that involved all of those things. "_All_ the time. Except when I'm with you." His head snapped in the direction of my face, and he started walking towards me. I looked down at my hands. "I guess what I'm trying to say Fang is that you're pretty important to me."

Then there was a hand under my chin, pulling my face up. Normally I hated people touching my face. My hair sure, but my actual face? Not so much.

But I think we've established Fang is different.

"Max..." Fang whispered as he leaned in. I turned my face.

"Don't."

He pulled back and studied me. "Why?" he stroked my hair back.

I looked away. "Because... I'm not... I'm not good for you Fang. Not good enough."

_This is one of the few truths I've told him. _I thought bitterly.

Fang was pure and good and- and- not a freak. He had a normal life and was smart and funny and charming and handsome and... He had a whole future ahead of him. I wouldn't steal it away from him. I wasn't that selfish.

But, boy, right then I wanted to be.

"_God _Max for someone so intelligent you can be so stupid."

I pulled back. Alright. Scratch all those nice things I said about him. Jerk Fang is back.

"_Excuse_ me?"

He sighed and walked over to the mirrored closet door. "C'mere." He beckoned.

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I won't bite." He teased.

I scoffed. "Your name begs to differ."

Fang rolled his eyes. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Get over here."

I sighed, but relented, and stood next to him. "What do you see?" He asked.

My eyebrows furrowed. What was he talking about? "Hmm, let's see. A moron, and apparently a stupid person."

He rolled his eyes again. "You know what I see?" I raised an eyebrow for him to continue. He put an arm over my shoulders. "I see someone who has been hurt. Someone who's careful, or tries to be. She's stubborn and aggravating and can be a huge nuisance. She also has something hiding. Something dark." My eyes widened. I knew Fang got me. I knew he could see things others couldn't. Bu I didn't know how _much_ he could see. Had he seen so much that he hated me now? But he _kissed_ me. How did that make sense? "But there's another side of her." He said suddenly. "A side that's smart, funny, beautiful and courageous. When she shows this side she's the most amazing person I've ever known. That's who I see."

Oh. _God. _Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit.

This was not good. But it was also wonderful. I was teetering on the precipice between horror and elation.

On one hand this was _Fang. _This was someone I cared about, and he wanted to be somewhere on my life that was dangerous.

On the other hand this was _Fang._ Probably the only person in the world that really saw through all my bullshit. Someone who I may or may not have feelings for.

I took a step away from him. It almost crushed me to see the look of hurt in his eyes. "Fang." I said, trying to get him to understand. "Did you not hear my song? You don't know me Fang. Not really. I've been lying to you this whole time." I looked away. "You should just forget about me Fang. It'd be better for you."

He ran his hand through his hair. "Did _you_ not hear what I just said? I _know_ that you've lied. Yeah it bothered me at first but, I realized I cared about you enough that it didn't matter. The Max I've seen whose expression lights up when Angel and Gazzy come in the room, or who goes through Nudge and Ella's sleepovers with a smile, who's the first person our age to put up with Iggy's bomb nonsense, the one who gets me, _that's _the real Max. True back story or not."

I had listened to his speech silently, without looking at him. Did I dare? Could I possibly _be_ with Fang? I didn't even know if I wanted to. I mean when he and I are together I feel safe. When he kissed me it felt right. I felt happy.

And didn't I deserve to be happy? My Dad sent me back here to have a normal as possible life. So why couldn't that involve Fang?

"Fang. What if- what if what I'm hiding is dangerous? What if it gets your hurt?" When I finally looked up at his expression it was as if what I just said held no meaning whatsoever. As if he had already considered this a long time ago.

"You're worth it."

I smiled in spite of myself. "Well in that case." I felt myself grin. "I think it's time I introduce you to someone."

He raised one dark eyebrow. "Oh? Who?"

"Me."

*-*-8_8_

"How about a game of 20 questions?" Fang asked, from the opposite end of the couch.

I deliberated for a minute. "How about ten? And I get to ask you questions too. And I get a right to pass."

He smiled. "Sure. But you only get three passes."

"Deal."

"Ladies first."

"Alright then." I thought about it. "Why do you always flinch when anybody goes near you?"

His eyes widened slightly and then he shook his head. "Only _you_ would notice that." I raised an eyebrow. "I honestly don't know. It's just my skin crawls whenever anyone comes near me. I have no clue why."

I was honestly surprised. I had thought that there was a valid reason for it. I had wondered about it several times. Could Fang be lying to me?

No. I wouldn't go there. I _had_ to start trusting people or I would go insane.

"With a few exceptions." I pointed out.

He nodded. "Just my family and Nudge and Ella, who are practically family. And you." A strange look came into his eyes. "Now why do you think that is?" He asked, probably not expecting an answer.

I shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "You forgot one exception."

"Oh?"

"Your little girlfriend Lisa of course." I grinned as he let out a groan.

"It was _torture_ when she was around, clinging onto me." I saw him shudder.

"Your turn."

He grinned abruptly.

_Uh oh._ "What's your favourite colour?"

...

Only Fang. "Seriously? Out of all the stupid questions..."

"Just answer it."

I thought about it for a minute. "I'd have to say grey."

"That's not really a colour."

"Too bad."

He chuckled. "Why?"

"Because there's no situation, or problem where everything is black and white or good or bad. Sometimes there's just a whole lot of grey." When I looked up he was staring at me. "What?"

"I ask you one of the most shallow questions ever and you come up with a completely deep answer. Only you." He shook his head. "Your turn."

"Why are you so quiet?" I _had_ to know. I knew a little bit from Iggy, but I didn't know if that was an entirely valid source.

As he thought about it his eyebrows furrowed. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"I think we have time."

He took a deep breath. "You're going to think its weird."

I felt myself smile a little. "I've seen and heard plenty of weird things Fang. Probably a hundred times weirder than what you're about to say."

He sighed. "Well I think it all started when I was about three. You must have heard that story by now about that Ella had an older sister and a Dad? And they were taken away from them?" I nodded. "Well that girl was about my age. She Iggy and I used to play together, and she would have been part of our makeshift family now if she hadn't been taken." A small Fang-like smile slid on to his face as he stared off into oblivion. "Iggy doesn't remember much of her, but I do. Even though I was so young she was pretty important to me. Iggy and I are twins but we're polar opposites. Maxine and me, we just... clicked. Like two sides of the same coin." He chuckled. "My mom told me that on Christmas morning when I was two instead of immediately wanting to open presents I wanted to see her and wish her a merry Christmas, because we promised each other we would." He looked at me. "When she was gone I just stopped talking. To anyone. And now it's just the norm for me."

_I'm here now._ I wanted to say. Had I been the one to cause Fang to be a quiet person? Always sticking in the shadows when he could achieve so much more by putting himself out there and saying something?

I scooted closer to his and cautiously put my arms around his waist. Almost subconsciously it seemed, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and the familiar electric charge seemed to hum between us.

"You don't usually engage in much physical contact yourself." Fang noted.

"Claustrophobia." I answered. "With you it's different. It's always different with you." I realized. With Fang I could barely keep my secrets to myself. With Fang my emotions ran wild. With him _I _was different. Right then I realized when I was with Fang I was... me. The _real_ me. The me that hardly ever showed itself ever. Fang completed me.

When I looked up I saw Fang staring at my face. His featured were strong. They emanated determination, courage, and fairness. But what did me in was his expression full of caring, concern, and maybe even the beginnings of love.

Right then I didn't care how dangerous this was. I didn't care that one day I might have to leave and never see him again. I didn't care that I was a mutant. All I cared about was Fang.

So that's what drove me to lean up and kiss him.

*-*-8_8_

It wasn't as raw and exuberant as the other one. It was soft and sweet and it lasted for about three seconds.

When I pulled back Fang's expression was shining. "What was that for?"

I smiled. "For being you."

He looked away for a second, smile still plastered on his face. "Go on a date with me." He said abruptly.

My eyebrows drew together, but I was smiling none-the-less. "What would we do?"

He let out a laugh. "Who cares? We could do anything and have a great time."

I couldn't help chuckling. "Pick me up at seven?"

He grinned. "Tomorrow at seven it is." He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"Can I show you something?" He asked.

"Sure." He stood up from the couch, taking me with him.

We walked into the den, where the fireplace was and he took a picture off the mantle.

My eyes widened. It was that same picture of him, Iggy, and I, I had found in the attic.

_Uh oh._

"This is a picture of all three of us. Iggy Maxine and me. We were like the three musketeers."

Three little kids with cheeky grins, mushroom tops, pigtails, and ice cream dripping down their chins seems innocent enough, but even that can be a problem for me.

"Cute." I tried to say this as normal as possible, when I was having a slight freak out inside.

I watched in mute horror as Fang's eyebrows furrowed as he looked back and forth between the picture and me.

"Its weird." He noted.

I was afraid to ask. "What's weird?"

"You and Maxine actually look kind of similar." Well it's not as if I wasn't expecting it.

"You don't have to take fifteen years off my looks until I'm forty Fang." I tried to joke. He didn't smile.

"Two Maxes." He said as if he hadn't heard me.

"My name is Maximum." He still didn't look.

Fang grabbed another picture off the mantle. It was of his parents and mine. _Both_ of mine.

Did I ever mention how much I look like my Dad?

His eyes squinted slightly as he started to see the similarities. On instinct I started to back up.

"You and Ella have the same nose." He stated.

I gulped. "What do you mean?"

"That's his nose." He pointed to my Dad. "And you have the same cheek bones and hair colour and skin colour. And your eyes"-

"Are green." I said. "Which neither of them have."

-"They've always seemed off. Like they didn't fit you somehow."

"Fang don't be ridiculous. You've seen pictures of my parents. Don't you think I _want_ Valencia to be my mother? That I _want_ living parents?"

I didn't like the look on his face. I couldn't read him. This usually means something bad. What made it worse was when he put down the pictures and started walking slowly, almost menacingly towards me.

"Your eyes aren't green are they?" He asked still ignoring what I was saying.

"Yes they"-

"Don't lie to me. Not now."

I didn't say anything. I continued to back up and Fang moved forwards until my back was pressed against the wall.

I was cornered.

_Don't do it Fang. Don't come any closer. _I pleaded silently. Everyone knows what happens when an animal is cornered. It lashes out.

How had things turned from so great to so bad so suddenly?

"Take off the contacts Max."

"But I'm not wearing any"-

"Max!" He just about yelled.

He didn't. He couldn't have. Fang _never_ yells, especially not at me.

If that's how he wanted to play it. I put on my stone face. The one not even _he_ could read.

"Why? What will it do Fang? Will it make you feel better?" He flinched at my tone. "You know what? Fine." He had figured it out anyway. There was no going back. We were at the point of no return. I took out my contacts in one swift movement and Fang made a sound of surprise. When I looked at him his black as night eyes were scared. I was scaring him. Good. "Was that what you wanted to see? Did you want to see Valencia's eyes? Maxine's eyes?" He remained silent. "I can tell you one thing. My name is Maximum Ride. _That_ is the truth."

"Hey Max? Fang?" Iggy's voice called from the front door. "What are you guys do- You know what? Never mind I don't want to know." He laughed at his own lame joke. The WORST timing possibly: brought to you by Iggy Walker! "We're done that wolf man movie and we're going to bed now, you guys should come back its like 3 in the morning"- Iggy continued on.

I turned to Fang. I realized the mistake I made in lashing out at him. He could tell people. "If you ever cared about me, ever- Whether it was the Maximum Ride you thought you knew or the Maxine Batcheldar you did know- don't tell anyone about this. No one. Please." I didn't look at him. I popped my contacts in, slipped out of the den and yelled "Iggy will you shut your trap already? Your giving me a migraine!"

My future and my past, I realized right then were tied together irrevocably.

**RnR!**


	20. Chapter 19

**You should just love me right now. It hasn't even been a week and I'm updating for you guys. All for you. I might also be sick so I've had a lot of free time, but that's beside the point. Anyways I've decided on a permanent update day, effective after this chapter. Tuesday. So from now on if I'm updating, it'll be on a tues. Well enjoy the super early chapter! And review!**

**-Lil Q**

Chapter nineteen:

"Where's Fang?" Iggy asked as I came up to him.

Shit... Come on Fang stay in the den.

"Um... in his room I think..."

Iggy's eyebrows furrowed together. "Doing what?" he walked up to the bottom of the stairs and yelled "Hey Fang! Come on down!"

"Iggy!" I exclaimed, without thinking.

He paused, and then a look of realization came over his face. "Oooh. _I _get it."

Huh? "Y-You do?"

He put on his most tragic expression. "Youse two our in a wittle fwight." He said in a baby voice.

I snorted. "Not funny Iggy."

He raised a white eyebrow "What happened?"

I looked away. "Nothing, let's just go, and I'm sure once I'm out of here he'll come back." Translation: Fang, if you're listening, as soon as we leave, get your sorry ass back to the party.

Okay well maybe I wouldn't have said _exactly_ that, but- you know what? I'm stressed. Let's move on.

As soon as we stepped out the door Iggy asked "Honestly, what happened? You and Fang never fight. Well not since the whole rough start thing."

I rolled my eyes. "Just a difference of views. Leave it alone Iggy."

"Aw come on Maxie don't be like that. Jeez, all you people need to lighten up. You're too serious." He observed as we stopped in front of the back door.

You know what? Time to turn the tables. "Alright if you're so light and optimistic you won't be opposed to a challenge."

He grinned. "I'm listening."

"It's something I know you want to do but haven't had the guts to, probably for some time now. You have to agree before I tell you what it is." I have to work hard to keep an evil smirk off my face.

"Puh-lease. There's no such thing. I'm a risk taker; I make bombs, I prank teachers, I spend time with Gazzy in confined spaces. I can do anything you got up your sleeve."

I spit on my hand and stuck it out. "Deal?"

Laughter bubbled from my lips as he wrinkled his nose. "That's so gross. I thought girls didn't do that kind of stuff."

"In case you haven't noticed Igs, I'm not most girls. Now come on Mr. Risk-taker. Stop being a sissy and shake."

With a look of deep revulsion on his face his spit on his hand and shook. "Deal." He wiped his hand on his jeans. "Ugh I'm going to need disinfectant."

I chuckled. "So are you ready for my ultimate evil plan and motives? You shook on it, so there's no backing down."

He put on a show of being terrified. "I'm quaking in my boots!" He showed me his arm. "Look: Goosebumps."

I smacked his arm away. "Stop being a moron. Alright, you have to ask Ella out." My face must have been the look of pure evil as his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and his Adam's apple bobbed as he let out a gulp.

"What makes you think I want to go out with Ella?"

I scoffed. "Oh please. I've seen the doe eyes you two make at each other. The way you let her do whatever she wants. I'm mean honestly. You give her _shotgun_. You never do that for anyone else. Not even for some pregnant lady who needed a ride to the hospital."

"Are you trying to tell me something Max?" I shoved his shoulder.

"Just go ask her out. Unless you're not light-hearted enough."

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "But Max this is _Ella_. I've known her forever. I can't just go and ask her out! It would mess everything up if she says no!" He shook his head. "No. I can't do it." He sat down on the back step with his head in his hands.

"For God's sake Iggy. You can talk the talk but you can't walk the walk."

"Nobody says that anymore."

I sat down next to him. "I don't get what the big deal is. I mean with me and Fang we have this whole huge problem that we can't possibly get out of the way. But with you and Ella it should be simple. Easy as breathing."

"So there _is_ something going on between you and Fang. I knew it. Jeez I shouldn't be finding out from you. I mean we are twins after all..."

I made a noise of aggravation. "Okay I'm going to stop you right there. We are not talking about what is or isn't going on between Fang and me. We're talking about how you should grow a pair and go ask out Ella." Alright I know I was kind of harsh there but he needed to hear this. And Ella needed this to be done.

"No offense Max, but you'd make an awful Life coach. And what if she says no huh? What happens then?"

"Ugh. Iggy. You and I are friends right?"

"Suuuure." He said drawing out the sound and scooting away slightly.

I rolled my eyes. "And Ella is my sister. Don't you think I want my friend and my sister to be happy? And I'm not _that_ maniacal. I've heard Ella gush about you. Pretty gross if you ask me. Did you know she turned down like six guys asking her out because she was waiting for you? Pretty soon another guy will come along and she won't turn him down. Jeez." I paused. "I probably shouldn't have told you about the gushing. Don't tell her I said that. Now come on, you spit shook on it."

As I stood up he followed suit.

All of a sudden I felt like I was being crushed.

"Can't... Breathe... Iggy..." I ground out from the bear hug.

He let me go and grinned. "Thanks Max."

"Let's go."

*-*-8_8_

"Where have you guys been?" Ella asked as we walked in the door. Her, Nudge and Fang had all changed into pyjamas, and were setting up the sleeping bags and air mattresses. "Fang got here before you and he said _you_ left before him."

I threw an arm around Iggy's shoulder. "Ig and I were just having a little chat." I grinned as Ella and Nudge's eyebrows drew together in confusion. I refused to look at Fang yet. "Ella, I believe Iggy wants to talk to you."

Iggy's head whipped in the direction of my face "Now?" he whispered frantically.

"Now what?" Ella asked with one hand on her hip.

"It's now or never hotshot." I whispered back so only he could hear.

I grabbed both Ella's and Iggy's arm and dragged them to the back door. "Now you two go and have a nice chat."

As I came back in Nudge practically _pounced_ on me. "Max what was _that_ all about?" She asked excitedly.

I pretended to examine my nails. "I got Iggy to grow a pair and ask her out."

She literally _squealed_. The best thing about Nudge is she's always so optimistic and happy. You can't help but be in a good mood when she's around, even if you are super annoyed.

"I've been trying to get him to do that for like a year now! How did you do it?"

I grinned. "I made him spit shake on it."

I laughed as Nudge's nose wrinkled up in disgust. "No offense Max, but I sometimes wonder if you're really a girl." She was smiling when she said it so I knew she didn't mean it harshly. "Just- don't tell Ella about the spit shake." She said looking over my shoulder.

I spun around and there they were- coming in hand in hand.

Yeah. I think we should just pretend the spit shake didn't happen.

When I saw Ella and Iggy smiling and laughing together I couldn't help but think _I actually benefitted Ella's life. She would have Iggy if I weren't here. I'm not a burden._

That alone seemed to make me feel as if a major weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

*-*-8_8_

I was curled up on a chair in Ella's room, with Albert Einstein's 'The World as I see it'.

Ella and Nudge had insisted I help them decide what Ella should wear to her movie date with Iggy tonight, because I had set them up.

Didn't they know that I had no fashion sense whatsoever? Didn't they see how I dressed? My 'style' consists of whatever is durable and easy to manoeuvre in.

Nudge was practically bouncing up and down with excitement because 'she had totally been waiting for this for like a year'.

"And OMG then maybe after they go on a few dates they can start double dating with me and Josh!" She squealed. Side note: Josh is Nudges boyfriend of 1 year. He doesn't go to our school, but Fang says he's alright. Not that it mattered what Fang thought. "Max you TOTALLY need to get a boyfriend hen we can like TRIPLE date. That would be sooooo much fun! And if Fang gets a decent girlfriend we can QUADRUPLE date! Is quadruple the right word? It's a funny word. I would probably mess it up if I said it too much, like a tongue twister you know? I think we should stick with only triple, but then either you or Fang would get left out. OMG YOU should totally go out with Fang I can totally see"-

"Nudge!" I said, rubbing my temples. Nudge was truly a sweet, sweet kid. But that mouth of hers could make Brave heart head for the hills.

"Sorry." She grinned, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Ell, are you done yet?" I called.

She came out of her walk in closet in her fourth ensemble: an orange sundress with a yellow purse and gladiator sandals.

"Ooh Ella! That's DEFINITELY the one! So cute!"

I frowned. Ella turned to me. "You don't like it Max?" She asked her eyes wide.

"Well... You know what I wouldn't take fashion advice from me."

"No, no. Tell me what you think."

"From an artist's perspective, it's all wrong. The colours I mean." I said checking her face to see if I hurt her feelings. "You need a darker colour to contrast your skin, but not black or brown because your hair is so dark. Like dark purple." I stood up and circled. "And from a concerned older sister's perspective, it's only the first date, and it's the movies, I wouldn't wear a dress. Too flirty. Put on a pair of jeans to make it look like you're not trying _that_ hard, but a nice pair so it still looks like you care." I looked up as their stares of disbelief in astonishment. "I have _no_ idea where that just came from."

Nudge and Ella started giggling hysterically. "We converted her!" Ella cried.

I rolled my eyes good naturedly and sat down with my book. "Just go change would you?"

Ella came back out in dark blue skinny jeans that had bit of with and light blue in them with purposeful rips, which I never got the point of. She had a short sleeve dark purple blouse on with a jean vest over top, the same shoes and black purse.

"Oh. Em. Gee. ELLA YOU LOOK SO AMAZING! IT'S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!" Nudge exclaimed.

Ella laughed and did a little spin. "Not quite." I said.

Ella looked at me in confusion. "What? No vest?"

"No I like the vest but use your yellow purse from before."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "But it doesn't match at all."

"Exactly. It contrasts, giving your look a lighter happier feel, while going great with the purple."

I grabbed a pillow off the bed and groaned into it. "You've turned me into you!"

The both laughed and tackl- I mean hugged me.

"Thanks Max." Ella said.

*-*-8_8_

When the doorbell rang at 4:00 Ella immediately raced to it.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing?" I scolded.

"Answering the door?" She guessed.

"I think I'll handle that." I said, heaving off the couch and walking over.

I wrenched the door open and saw a very nervous Iggy standing there. "Max?" He asked in confusion. "Where's El- Oh hey Ella, you look great."

She grinned. "Enough sweet talk pretty boy. It's time to get down to business." I said. The both looked startled. "We need to establish some ground rules. First off. Iggy, you break her heart, I break your face." His eyes widened and nodded. "You have her home by eight."

"But"- the both protested.

I held up my hand. "Nope, sorry, Mom's at work. I'm making the rules."

She rolled her eyes. "Max somehow you can be an over protective brother, a helpful sister, and a strict mom, all at once."

I laughed. "Just doing my job."

Suddenly Ella threw her arms around me. "Don't know what I'd do without you sis."

"Go on. Go have fun." I said as she disentangled herself from me and when with Iggy to Peter's Mazda.

_Damn. They grow up so fast._

*-*-8_8_

I was finishing up 'The World as I see it' when the doorbell rang at seven o'clock.

I doubted that Iggy and Ella would come back before nine, explicit instructions from me or not, so I was immediately cautious as I walked up to the door.

With a sense of dread, I slowly turned the knob, preparing myself for anything, and as it swung open there was none other than...

Fang.

I was so startled I didn't even think be for I said "What are you doing here?"

He flashed me a crooked smile.

"You didn't think I'd forget about our date did you?"

**RnR!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Hello everyone. No I am not dead (surprisingly). I have some great news. I JUST FINISHED EXAMS! NO MORE SCHOOL! NO MORE SUMMITIVES! TONS OF TIME TO UPDATE! YAYAYAYAY! I just wanted to shout out to Animalover, whose birthday was on May 30 which I am sorry to say I couldn't update on. By that way yes I realize it's not Tuesday. But I didn't want you guys to have to wait. **

**Now. This is important.**

**I would like to dedicate this chapter to the late Micheal Jackson, who passed away exactly two years ago as of last Saturday. Rest in peace MJ. You will always be remembered.**

**~Lil Q **

Chapter twenty:

"You can't be serious." I said, arms folded. I shook my head in frustration. "Just who do you think you are?"

He opened his mouth to reply.

"I mean when I first get here, you're a complete jerk. Then you go and decide oh, maybe I should go bipolar and completely change my personality to make Max like me!"

"Max, I"- He tried to say, but I cut him off. I wasn't done with him yet.

"THEN carefully enough that I almost didn't notice you try and pry all my secrets out of me!"

"But"-

"Let's not forget that after that just to make my life that much more difficult and confusing you decide to ki- mmph" – I was cut off by Fang's lips on mine, they were only there for about half a second but it was enough to surprise me enough to shut up.

I opened my eyes to see Fang right in front of me, with his hands on either side of my face. "Probably shouldn't have done that." He muttered. "Listen, Max. I'm sorry."

I pulled out of his hands and folded my arms again. "For kissing me or for being a jerk?"

I was aggravated to see his signature heart stalling smirk. "I'd never really be sorry for kissing you." I felt my face heat up in a way that only Fang could make happen. Abruptly his face sobered. "I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I'm sorry for not trusting your judgement, for losing my temper, and I'm just really, really sorry." I didn't say anything. Not because I was still really angry, but because I was speechless. Me. _Maximum Ride_, queen supreme overlord of sarcasm, speechless. Fang took a deep breath and scratched the back of his neck and shifted from foot to foot. "And if it's not too much to ask, do you think I could have a second chance?"

*-*-8_8_

"And who said chivalry was dead?" I murmured as Fang opened the jeep door for me. I looked at it with apprehension.

"Max, it's pretty roomy in here. Claustrophobia shouldn't be an issue."

I searched his expression. Despite yesterday's events I trusted Fang. It was irrational, because he had almost full power to destroy my life here, but I did. I had agreed to go with him because as far as I could tell, he was telling the truth. And I really needed to get this matter squared away.

With a sigh I ignored his outstretched hand and hopped into the jeep. "I'm not doing up my seatbelt." I stated as he shut his door.

I had left a note for Ella explaining I was with Fang, and there was to be no funny business with Iggy. I had contemplated leaving my contacts at home, but if someone was there when I got back and they saw my eyes I would be in trouble. So I settled with bringing their case.

"Seatbelts save lives Max." Fang said as the engine roared to life.

"I have issues with being restrained."

"What else is new?" he muttered not loud enough for normal humans to hear.

"Excuse me? I could just get out right now you know." Wasn't he supposed to be on his best behaviour?

He flashed me his signature crooked smirk. "You know you want to stay."

I rolled my eyes. "Cocky much?" I looked around. "Where are we going anyways?"

"Can't tell you that."

I huffed and sat back in my seat. We lapsed into a silence not quite like our usual; it wasn't awkward exactly, but it wasn't comfortable either.

For the whole way I focused my mind on the steady stream of the air condition fanning across my face.

*-*-8_8_

"We're here."

"Where is here, exactly?" I asked, looking out the window. All I saw was desert for miles, just flat land with the odd cactus and visible cliff.

"Nowhere." He answered, with a smirk as we got out of the jeep. I fought to keep the smile off my face as well. Have I ever mentioned that when Fang smiles it makes you want to smile? I mean honestly. Some things just aren't fair.

I raised an eyebrow. "Honestly where are we?"

He grinned my favourite grin, one that showed all of his teeth, and lit up the immediate vicinity. "We are absolutely without a doubt, in the middle of nowhere." He informed me, while his face continued to beam.

What was he on about? What angle was he playing? Did he honestly just want to be in the middle of nowhere? What did he want to _do_ out here?

I took a wary step away from him. "Why?"

He took one look at my posture and rolled his eyes. "Max, even if I dragged you out here with bad intentions you could probably have me pinned in five seconds."

There he goes with his observations again! How much did he see? What could I even _say_ to that?

*flashback*

"_What are we doing here Daddy?" five year old me asked._

_He looked down at me with delight in his eyes. It was something that wasn't really there often. It was faked quite a bit, but it wasn't the same._

_I looked up at the big Ferris wheel. We were in a line, surrounded by people-something that _never_ happened- and were waiting to go on a giant wheel._

_A loose hair from my braid was moved out of my face."In life there will always be difficult times. But if you're always worrying and never stop to smell the roses, you'll never be happy." He smiled at me. "Sometimes you've just gotta say what the hey?"_

What the hey?

"Less than that, actually." I smiled and walked over to him. "Now I've decided to overlook the questionable location choice, so what do you have planned for this evening?"

He pulled out a backpack- black of course- and a guitar case. That last one I was _not _expecting. Sure I knew Fang played guitar and was pretty good at it, but I didn't know what possessed him to bring it.

"Come with me." He held out his hand.

I hesitated. I know I shouldn't have after all that talk about trust, but I did.

"You _can_ trust me Max." Fang said. One look in his black eyes, I knew I could. No matter what happened from now on, I could trust Fang.

So with a grin I took his hand.

*-*-8_8_

"So now what do we do?" I asked. "You are the man with the plan after all."

Fang had taken me to this really big boulder. We were sitting on the dusty ground leaning against it. I'm not gonna lie, it felt amazing. The boulder was still warm from the hot sun beating on it all day, and just being with Fang again with no tension between us- it was great.

Fang reached inside his backpack, and pulled out two sandwiches. "For you." He handed me one. I took it out of its wrapping and grinned.

"Peanut- butter, mayonnaise and bacon? You know me so well!"

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I have no idea how you eat that."

"It's delicious."

"Sure." He smiled again. "I also brought these..." He took out a package of chocolate chip cookies. I'm sure a deranged look appeared on my face. "They're not as good as Val's, but I figure they're better than nothing."

I chuckled. "You're the best."

He relaxed against the rock. "Yeah, I know." I leaned my shoulder into his.

After we finished eating Fang said "You know, we never finished that game of twenty questions."

I knew there was a catch. How could this night be so perfect after yesterday was so horrible? "It was ten questions I believe, and I don't have to answer anything."

He rolled his eyes. "When was the last time you relaxed?"

Probably a rhetorical question, but it was a question none the less. "When I was ten." His head whipped to look at me. I smiled. "We were in Fiji. The beach was warm, and there was no one there but us. It was great."

*Flashback*

"_Ari, slow down!" Ten year old me yelled._

_There was six year old Ari, straight dirty blonde hair, wearing spaceship swim trunks, running down the beach as if a hundred erasers were after him. _

"_You'll have to catch me first!" He shouted over his shoulder._

_I sighed, and rolled my eyes. Looking around, it was beautiful. The palm trees, the tropical flowers, the real bamboo hut we were staying in, they were all things I had read about in books but never thought I'd see._

"_Are you going to go get him, or will I have to?" Dad said, coming up behind me with a hand on my shoulder. _

"_I'm waiting until he gets 100 feet away." I looked up at him. "What's my time again? You need a hair cut by the way."I pointed out as some fell into his face._

_He grinned, pushing some of his sandy locks out of the way. "Maybe you could do it after? 36 seconds I believe."_

_I cast my gaze over to Ari. "Keep count for me would you? Then I'll cut your hair." About 96.73 feet away..._

_Now!_

_I unfurled my wings and shot across the beach._

"_Incoming!" I shouted. As Ari looked over his shoulder his grin disappeared as quickly as mine came._

_I scooped him up into my arms and turned as sharply as I could. I blasted all the way back to my Dad._

"_Time!" I announced as I stumbled to a stop- the only way I could without face planting at that time._

"_32 seconds." I grinned._

"_No fair! You always cheat!" Ari said, arms folded. Dad chuckled and put him on his shoulders._

"_How about we start swimming lessons, Air?"_

"_Sure Daddy, but you need a haircut first."_

I looked at Fang, coming back to reality. "Who exactly is 'we'?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Nope, it's my turn."

He folded his arms. "Shoot."

What did I need to know about Fang? Not much to be honest. I had most of his story, practically all of it.

What questions did I have? I could only think of one.

"What changed your mind?"

His eyebrows drew together. "Huh?"

"About me." I clarified. "Yesterday, you were really angry. Maybe the angriest I've ever seen you actually, wait that's not true, second angriest. But that's beside the point."

He scratched the back of his neck; he was nervous. He waited a few seconds. "Um..."

"Fang?" I prompted.

"Well I- Um... How can I? I'm not the best with- You know what? I brought you something."He concluded.

I was confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Fang rolled his eyes. "Patience." He opened up his guitar case and took out his wait for it- completely black- acoustic guitar. He looked at me. "Now no laughing, whatsoever." I nodded, a small smile appearing on my face. "And feel free to chime in anytime."

Without strumming he sang loud and clear "Oh! You knock me off of my feet now baby! Oh!" he started strumming the familiar tune.

I laughed, despite his request. "No way."

**(The Way You Make Me Feel Micheal Jackson)**

_Hey Pretty Baby With The__  
__Converse On__  
__You Give Me Fever__  
__Like I've Never, Ever Known__  
__You're Just A Product Of__  
__Loveliness_

I had never heard Fang sing before. I had no words that could describe his voice. Spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it. It was smooth as silk but had a rough edge to it at the same time. His eyes didn't leave mine as he continued to sing.

___I Like The Groove Of__  
__Your Walk,__  
__Your Talk, Your Zest__  
__I Feel Your Fever__  
__From Miles Around__  
__I'll Pick You Up In My Car__  
__And We'll Paint The Town__  
__Just Kiss Me Baby__  
__And Tell Me Twice__  
__That You're The One For Me__  
_

My grin only got bigger the more he sang. I couldn't hide my incredulity of this situation. I had a smart, sweet, strong guy that was being a corny idiot, and singing old Micheal Jackson to me. I hadn't been this happy in a long time. _  
_

_The Way You Make Me Feel__  
__(The Way You Make Me Feel) _I echoed. Fang grinned._  
__You Really Turn Me On__  
__(You Really Turn Me On)__  
__You Knock Me Off Of My Feet__  
__(You Knock Me Off Of__  
__My Feet)__  
__My Lonely Days Are Gone__  
__(My Lonely Days Are Gone)___

_I Like The Feelin' You're__  
__Givin' Me__  
__Just Hold Me Baby And I'm__  
__In Ecstasy__  
__Oh I'll Be Workin' From Nine__  
__To Five__  
__To Buy You Things To Keep__  
__You By My Side__  
__I Never Felt So In Love Before__  
__Just Promise Baby, You'll__  
__Love Me Forevermore__  
__I Swear I'm Keepin' You__  
__Satisfied__  
__'Cause You're The One For Me__  
__The Way You Make Me Feel__  
__(The Way You Make Me Feel)__  
__You Really Turn Me On__  
__(You Really Turn Me On)__  
__You Knock Me Off Of My Feet__  
__Now Baby-Hee!__  
__(You Knock Me Off Of__  
__My Feet)__  
__My Lonely Days Are Gone-__  
__(My Lonely Days Are Gone)__  
_

"The way you make me feel." He finished. We stared at each other, grinning like idiots for about ten seconds before bursting out laughing.

*-*-8_8_

"Alright. So that still doesn't answer my question." I said from the _very_ comfortable position I was in- Snuggled into Fang's side with one of his arms around me.

That's right folks, I Maximum Ride was _snuggling_. And I liked it. A lot.

Fang let out a defeated sigh. "You're really going to make me say it after that?"

"Yep."

"You're impossible."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

He ran his free hand through his hair. "I just- I care about you... too much to, uh, to stay mad at you."

I grinned. He really did care about me. It wasn't some scam, or a mistake, it was true. "Now was that so hard?" I joked.

"Yes."

"Don't be a baby."

"Why? Does it attract you too much?"

I elbowed him in the ribs, not too particularly lightly either. I let a satisfied smirk grace my face as I heard the "Oof!"

"Now, do you have a question for me?"

He pondered for a minute or two.

"What was the time that you've seen me at my angriest?"

I frowned, wondering why this question came up. "Actually, it was yesterday. God, it feels like it's been longer than that. How can so much happen in two days?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"Right. Well after Lisa, uh, pushed me." I said the last part quietly, not wanting to bring my spectacle up. My volume didn't seem to diffuse the situation at hand at all, so it seemed, as I felt Fang's arm tightened around me and saw the corners of his mouth turn down- Fang's version of suppressed rage.

"For about half a second, I thought I lost you- for good. I was terrified." He admitted. "I don't think I hate anyone more than her right now."

I leant my head on his shoulder. "I'm fine." He nodded.

"Your turn." He noted.

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to think of something I really wanted to know, but that still lightened to mood.

"What is up with all the black?" I asked. "Honestly! I have never seen anyone with more black stuff than you!"

He raised one eyebrow at my outburst. "Is there something wrong with black?"

"No of course not, and don't avoid the question."

"Black is default." Was all he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Its sheer laziness. But it's also efficiency." My eyebrows drew together. "When you have one thing that you always use, it save choice making time. And black is just default." He shrugged.

"You're weird." I said. Fang snorted.

"Coming from the princess of obscurity herself?"

"I prefer supreme overlord actually."

"I thought you were the supreme overlord of sarcasm."

"Supreme overlord is my default." I chuckled at the frown that appeared on his face as he glared at me playfully. "Your turn."

Fang paused, and gulped nervously.

"Where does this leave us?" He asked seriously, looking at me.

"What do you mean?" I said, feigning ignorance.

"I mean you and me."

"What about you and me?" I replied a small grin appearing on my face.

"I mean... what are we?" He struggled.

"Human?" I guessed, though it was partially incorrect on my part.

He sighed. "Max..."

"If you have something you want to ask me Fang, just spit it out." I grinned feeling exceptionally evil.

He glared at me. "Fine. If that's how you want it." He took his arm off of me.

"Hey!" I protested. It was warm under there! And to be honest, I was cold. Had I really gotten him that mad?

He scooted around me so he was sitting in front of me, both of us cross legged. "Maximum Ride?" He asked formally.

"Yes, Nicholas Walker?"

"Would you do me the fine honour of being my girlfriend?" Though he was joking, I knew it was slightly worried about what my answer would be. So I decided to play with him.

"I dunno..." I pretended to think for a minute. "What exactly would that entail?"

He grinned, something that was becoming more and more common. "Oh you know, holding hands in public, maybe a kiss on the cheek or two, and the whole slave for life thing... Not much."

We had both leaned forward inch by inch during his speech to our noses were about two centimetres away from each other. "Well if that's all..." I murmured.

Fang leaned forward a little more and brushed his lips against mine. "Hey Max?"

"Mm?"

"Can you take off your contacts?" I pulled back in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I want to see your eyes." He shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing.

Why did he want to see my eyes? Would he take a picture and send it to Mom? Would he get mad again?

_Calm down Max. I thought we already established that we TRUST Fang. Alright?_

I pulled the case out of my pocket and took them off.

When I looked back at Fang his had a very- what's the word? - Intense look on his face.

"What?" I asked in a small voice.

His black eyes locked with my brown ones and he raised his hand to my face and stroked my temple with the back of his knuckles. "You have the most beautiful eyes."

I felt my face heat up, unsure of what to say. "Uh, thanks."

"Now, what were we doing, right before my minor obsession with your eyes interrupted us? I can't remember."

I smiled. "I dunno, I think we were having a philosophical discussion of Einstein's theory of relativity." I leaned back into the rock.

Fang rolled his eyes and reached forward and pulled me onto him. Using his backpack as a pillow, he leaned back so he was lying on his back and I was on top of him.

"I definitely don't remember being in this position." I noted.

"I kind of like it." Fang said, tucking my hair behind my ears.

I leaned in closer, so I could see every fleck of gold in his eyes. "Now Fang, since you are my proper boyfriend, you should be making sure I'm not in any compromising situations right?" My nose brushed against his.

"I don't think I remember that rule." He said. With that his mouth moulded against mine, a perfect fit.

I smiled against his lips, and let my mind go blank.

**RnR!**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty-one:

"So why haven't I heard you sing before tonight? You're really good."

Fang threw a side glance my way from the driver's seat of the car. "I'm not big on singing."

I sighed. "I thought we were both past these half answers." I muttered.

He snorted. "Max I don't know if the half answers will ever end." My eyebrows drew together. He was right, of course. I don't know if I can ever be completely honest with him; what he knew was only part of my secrets and not even the biggest part.

"Still, tell me." I persisted.

He rolled his eyes. "What's in it for me?"

I paused. I supposed it was only fair; maybe an answer for an answer? Our silly little game of ten questions now long forgotten, it would seem the best thing.

"Exactly." He said thinking I didn't have an answer.

"You get to ask me a question, any question, and I have to tell you the truth." I said, before I could over think it and change my mind. What was the worst he could do? He was Fang. I trusted him not to ask anything too bad.

A look of contemplation flitted across his features and he said, "Alright. I don't like singing other people's songs, that don't convey what I'm thinking correctly."

"Do you write your own songs?"

A slightly bitter smirk appeared in his face. "I've had writers block since last June."

I grimaced. I knew that feeling, it's like there was a physical block in your mind that prevented you from something, though getting over it was one of the best feelings in the world. "What was so hard about that?" I asked referring to why he didn't want to answer the question.

"I thought it was my turn."

Though it was dark, I still had very good vision, so I could see his face change into full seriousness. Granted, his face always looked pretty serious to the untrained eye. "Right, shoot."

"When you moved here, did you know that you were going back to your family?"

I sighed. It wasn't the worst thing he could have asked, but it was still pretty bad. I looked out the windshield where all I could see was straight road on desert for a long way away.

"Family is a very broad term. At the time, Mom and El weren't my family. They were just nice people that one of which I vaguely remembered and the other I hadn't met. But if you're asking if I knew I was moving to where I spent the first two years of my life? Yeah. Yeah I knew."

Fang was silent for the rest of the way home.

*-*-8_8_

"Well, bye."

"Bye."

"Goodnight Fang."

"Night Max."

...

"Goddammit Fang, will you just unlock the door already?" I yelled in aggravation. We had been sitting in his driveway for the past ten minutes. "Fang it was funny at first but now I'm just tired and annoyed and I want to go home and sleep!"

And you know what he did? He freaking grinned.

Bastard.

He had turned off the headlights so it was so dark I could only see his white teeth while he blended in. What with his weird default-ness and all.

"I don't know Max, it's kind of fun to watch you squirm." He said. My jaw dropped. Well if that's how he wanted to play it...

I had a feeling I could make _him_ squirm. His grin faded as he saw the look on my face change to what was probably an unholy grin.

I climbed over the gearshift so I was hovering over him. "Well as long as we're here." I purred in my most slutty voice. I relished in my apparent victory when his Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped.

I ran my hand up his chest and down his arm. I leaned in and- hit the unlock button next to his hand.

"Maybe next time slick." I said, pecked his cheek and hopped out of the car.

*-*-8_8_

When I got in the front door the living room light was on. That was weird. Mom wasn't supposed to get home until tomorrow morning; she was working the night shift.

"Mom?" I called as I saw a curly black hair head at the top of one of the chairs.

To my surprise it was Ella who swivelled around looking murderous. My eyes widened as she said, "You, Maximum Ride are nothing but a hypocrite!"

My jaw dropped. What had I done? "Uh..." How articulate.

She stood up. "You go on and on to me about being home on time and then leave this note:" Ella took out the note I had written her. "Ella went out, Home by ten, Max. P.S. Don't try any funny stuff; the walls have ears. Do you know how embarrassing that was? And to you know what time it is?"

I glanced at the clock; it was 1:30 in the morning. "Sorry?" It came out like a question.

All of a sudden a grin came over Ella's features. "That's all I wanted to hear!" She exclaimed, and came over and tackled me in a bear hug. "I just wanted to say thanks again for setting us up! It was such an amazing time! And he was sweet and nice and not at all jerkish like he can sometimes be and"- she paused. "Oh God. I sound like Nudge."

My eyes widened. I think the night, and partial early morning with Fang had slowed my brain down some. If I were a computer or a robot or something across my screen would say: Error: does not compute.

"I heard that!" Came out from upstairs.

I shook my head to get out of my reverie. "Nudge is here?" I inquired.

Ella grinned. "We always do this after we each have a date. Slumber party and tell each other all about it." Her smile disappeared as she thought. "What were you doing?"

"Oh you know me... I just like to go out. I went walking for a bit and lost track of time." I let her decide what the small smile still residing on my face meant.

She grinned and tugged on my hand "Okay then, come on upstairs you can join in! It'll be popcorn and junk food and chick flicks and manis and pedis until we collapse from exhaustion!"

I groaned. "Ella, you know I don't like that kind of thing!"

Her big blue eyes flashed with amusement. "Too bad... unless you want me to tell mom what time you got home..."

I folded my arms. "Blackmail?" she nodded. I grinned. "I've taught you well."

*-*-8_8_

Fang and I didn't see any more of each other that weekend. To tell you the truth, I missed him. And I _hated_ it. Have I ever mentioned how I mildly –okay, _completely_- despise any emotion that is seen in a mushy romance movie?

Thought so.

Come to think of it, there aren't many emotions I _do_ like. I like anger. Easy. Simple. It makes my roundhouse kick that much harder. Indifference. Safe. Controlled. I'm cool with that.

But sadness? _Longing?_ Yuck. Sometimes I didn't even like being happy. Of course when I _was_ happy I didn't feel that way.

So you may be wondering, why is Max rambling on uselessly about emotions? Cause I'm sick of them, that's why. Or maybe I'm just being a pessimist because it's Monday and I have to deal with school, or rather, the people in the school.

Then again I _could_ always be lovesick from not being around fang for over twenty-four hours.

Nah.

Despite the fact that Mom had offered to call in sick for me, I was still climbing on my motorcycle to depart for school.

Why?

Stupid, idiotic _pride_. Yes. It was a matter of pride that made me get up to drive up to the school where I would face the gruelling stares of my peers that day.

I was idiotic about it too. Maybe Fang had permanently made my brain slightly mushier than normal like he does whenever he kisses me. I don't know. But for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to wait for the last possible minute to leave.

I believe my reasoning at the time was that everyone would be on their way to class by the time I got there so no one could stare at me in the halls. However, in my genius plan I forgot the fact that Fang, Ella, Iggy and Nudge would be on their way to class to so I wouldn't have then for support.

There was also the little fact that when I got to class, everyone was already there.

*-*-8_8_

I dashed into Mrs. Weber's English class precisely 2.34 seconds before the bell rang. As this was an advanced class and the students tended to be punctual... well everyone was there to look at me.

I kept my head down to avoid all the stares, including the particularly dark one I got when I walked by my usual seat next to him and went to my original at the back corner.

Yup, the anti-staring thing still worked like a charm.

Mrs. Weber scuttled in, glasses askew, and oblivious to the tension in the room.

Allow me to explain: There were no teachers out when the little exhibit between Lisa and I occurred. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Or whatever other form of zero you can find.

My guess was that every student that witnessed it either were too scared to report it, or didn't know _what_ to report.

I had yet to decide if this were a good or bad thing.

Suffice to say, while the students gossiped and stared and worried, all the teachers remained ignorant.

Mrs. Weber seemed to gather her wits and drew her attention to the class. "Good morning everyone! I hope we all had a _wonderful_ weekend filled with 'Hamlet'." Homework. I never did it for this class. Not out of laziness or anything, but it was pointless. She never checked for completion, it was only to help study for tests and such. I normally just read the assigned reading twice, the second time being for analysis, and whatever question on the sheet she asked I would have the answer on the top of my head. "Now is anyone missing?" She asked surveying the room and landing on my usual desk which was now empty. She addressed Fang and Iggy. "Mr. Walker –either one- are you aware of the whereabouts of Miss Ride?"

I sighed. "Here." I said which gave everyone a chance to turn and stare at me.

This was going to be a long day.

*-*-8_8_

Aftermath. I've dealt with it before and it is not a pleasant thing. Mind you the aftermath that has previously been dealt to me had completely different circumstances pertaining to it, but I digress.

Needless to say sometimes aftermath can be even worse than the events that lead to it.

This was one of those cases. I knew that this was going to be long and drawn out, and possibly be worse than when I first got here.

I had just finished the history lesson of the circumstances that lead to WWII, and was rifling through my locker when the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

The hallway was fairly crowded, so every sound was jumbled up. But I still said, "I know you're there Fang." without turning around.

"Darn." He said leaning again the locker next to me and folding his arms casually. "You avoiding me?" He asked suddenly.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, and then gave him a look. "Don't be stupid." He raised an eyebrow. "I've been trying to avoid everyone else. It's not my fault you can't keep up."

I closed my locker then rested my forehead on it. I felt a migraine coming on.

I felt a large rough hand close around mine. I looked up.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Fang asked.

I deliberated. "As long as we're back in time for fourth." I decided.

A smile tugged at the corner of Fang's mouth as he pulled me towards the front of the school. "So you're a model student now?"

I snorted. "Of course. I bring an apple for each teacher. Two for Jefferson, God knows he could eat a barrelful, barrel included." I paused. "Ugh. Even my sarcasm is coming out half-assed."

Fang rolled his eyes and pulled me outside.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two:

Fang and I spent lunch in- well a tree. Ironic isn't it? The place where birds typically spend most of their time is one of the places I spend most of my time. Over the past month Fang and I escaped together, mainly to the tree we went to after taking Angel and Gazzy to the park all those weeks ago. So right now, I felt almost normal. Almost relaxed.

For the first time that day, I just breathed.

When the warning bell rang Fang and I walked in silence to the school, both of us knowing that the next two and a half hours wouldn't be the easiest time of my life.

I knew that it most definitely would not be one of the hardest times in my life, but I digress.

"Are we going to meet up after school?" Fang asked, as we stood outside my science class.

I shrugged. "I'll talk to you in gym?" It came out as more of a question.

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck as if he were having an internal debate. Then without warning, he swooped down and quickly pecked my cheek. "Bye Max." He murmured.

"Bye." I muttered, but he was already gone.

I walked into the science room in a haze, but looking back on this, I was kind of annoyed that he had this kind of effect on me.

I slid into my seat next to Iggy, my mind a million miles away.

"Ahem." I heard Iggy's throat clear beside me.

I felt like banging my head against the desk. Of _course_ he noticed that. Of course.

"What?" I risked a glance at him.

That doofus. The look he was giving me was so smug and annoying that if I didn't like him, I would probably have punched it off.

I glared at him. "What?"

He folded his flingers together and rested his chin on them. "You and Fangy seem to be getting pretty close." He said in a slightly babyish voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

That's when I saw it. The date on the blackboard just staring me in the face. How had the time passed so quickly?

October twenty ninth. Exactly one week before November fifth. One week before I talked to my favourite person in the whole world.

My Dad.

I could vaguely hear Iggy cooing at me about how cute Fang was, but I was too far away to take any real notice.

That's not to say he won't get a not so friendly punch in the arm, but still.

I grinned to myself, and let all the worries, all the stress, and all the frustration slip away, as the teacher came into the room.

*-*-8_8_

I stretched my sore muscles.

I had a lot of things to think about last night so my flight was extra hard and long. I was sore.

When most people think about flying-which probably isn't that often- they would imagine it's all in the wings.

It's not. You're working your entire body. How do you think you stay horizontal? You have to use effort to keep your legs straight instead of hanging, you're arms need to be held tightly at your sides, and your head needs to be kept up. So your leg, back, arm, neck, core, and _wing_ muscles are all being worked. I went about 300 miles and back. In six hours. That's about 100 miles an hour, without stopping, if you're wondering.

So yeah, I'm sore.

Sore, but it was an excited kind of sore. They sore that came with a workout that made you feel accomplished.

"You seem awfully chipper today." Mom noted, while flipping over some eggs on the frying pan.

You want to know how amazing she was? She didn't even care about the fight I got into at school. She even called the principal and yelled at him for a bit about bullying and demanded that Lisa be suspended. Which she was.

I let out a small smile. "No reason."

She suddenly grinned at me, and for a second she look just like Ella. "It wouldn't have something to do with a certain dark haired boy we live next to, would it?"

I felt my face heat up.

_Damn. _I thought. _When they mutated me couldn`t they have at least taken away my ability to blush?_

"Why does everyone think there's something going on between me and Fang?"

We hadn't told anyone about us but _everyone _seemed to know. It was aggravating.

"Because there is." Ella said with a yawn, coming into the kitchen.

"Excuse me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Shove off it Max. Iggy said he kissed you on the cheek the other day." She snickered.

I sent a glare her way, which she ignored. She and mom shared a look.

"In any event, Fang has nothing to do with it." I paused. "My uncle is calling me next week." I smiled.

"Why can oo all im gan?" Ella said through a mouth full of eggs.

"He's in Antarctica. Phones are a little bit harder to come by." I said, reciting the story.

When I looked at Mom she had the ghost of a frown on her face. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath. "This is the same uncle who dumped you to travel around the world?" Her eyes held a race of distain as she asked this.

The atmosphere of the room suddenly became very tense. "He didn't _dump_ me. He was just trying to get me to have a normal life." I reasoned.

"Away from your only family." With_ my only other family, actually._

"He would be working all the time. What, am I just supposed to be held up in some igloo by myself? He just wanted what was best for me!" I knew that I was getting worked up about a fake uncle, but it felt like I was defending my Dad.

"He put you in foster care Max! When I think about what could have happened to you, where you could have ended up..."

"I think I wound up okay." I said quietly.

"I almost didn't even foster you. I had no interest in doing something like that but then Anne was going on about how much you looked like my daughter, and when I saw your face..."

This conversation had just taken a very dangerous and unexpected turn.

My eyes widened "What?" I chanced a glance at Ella, and she had her jaw dropped with food in her mouth. Beautiful.

Mom pondered for a moment. "Except for the eyes, you could be my daughter; you have a striking resemblance to m husband." She shook her head. "But in any event, from what I've heard about him I'm wary about your uncle. He doesn't seem like a good person."

I was frozen. It was very stupid, really. Of _course _she would notice the resemblance, but with almost three months of her never mentioning it- I guess I had gotten myself to believe that she overlooked it.

"He did what was best for me." I muttered, and left.

*-*-8_8_

I've recently learned something very astounding about myself. I'm weak. So weak. I've always thought of myself as The Maximum, because that's what everyone told me I was. But I'm not. I'm weak.

I'm not talking about physical. No of course not. I can kick anyone's ass any time any place. Not really mentally either, I'm smart, I'm quick and I have a wit above all others.

Emotions. They're what get me. I thought blocking my emotions showed my strength, and how I could conquer them. Feeling is much harder. Letting them out, expressing them, it's a very difficult process.

This brings us here, in front of my piano trying to tell my dad how much I miss him, and how much he means to me.

With all my other songs it was so much easier; I was telling a story or making someone feel better, or even just explaining something.

This was much more difficult.

My trash bin was overflowing with crumpled up sheets of paper all with words and music on them that I deemed too corny, or un-expressive.

"Ugh." I moaned. I put my head down on the piano keys and they whined in protest.

The doorbell rang. I knew it was him before I heard Mom say "Oh, hi Fang. Max is just upstairs."

"Hey." Came from my doorway. I grunted in acknowledgement. "What's up?"

"I have no feelings." I muttered. Being with Ella and Nudge all the time was turning me into a drama queen.

Fang snorted.

"What?"

"I think Lisa's nose would have something to say about that."

I lifted my head off the keys and rolled my eyes. "I'm not talking about _anger_. I've got plenty of that. I'm talking about the gooey mushy stuff that I can't stand but other people like."

Fang plopped down on my couch next to my bookshelf with his hands behind his head.

"Well what need do you have for gooey mushy feelings?"

"My uncle's calling in a few days and I'm trying to write a song for him."

Fang made a sound of disbelief.

"What?"

"I know for a fact you don't have an Uncle." Just when I'm starting to warm up to this guy he goes and says stuff like that. Remember that first impression I had of Fang?

It wasn't all false.

But, hey. I come with some baggage too, so who am I to judge?

...

So judging him right now.

"Let it go Fang."

He sat up straight. "But seriously. If it isn't your uncle"-

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Can't you just"-

"No."

"But"-

"I can see you won't be any help. You're dismissed." Alright. I _could_ have worded that a little better, I'll admit.

"I'm _what_?"

"Either leave, or shut up."

Fang rolled his eyes and grabbed a book off my book shelf. "Ella's at my place." He muttered and started reading.

I snickered. But I felt for him,_ really_. Whenever Iggy came over here... Ungh. I wasn't expecting this when I got them together.

"Max."

"Mm?" I looked over at Fang.

"You don't do emotions." He stated.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm aware of that, thanks."

"So use what you do know."

"Like what? How to bust someone ear drums by clapping your hands over their ears?"

He shuddered. "You really did learn all that fighting. No. I meant your senses. I've noticed that you're good at observing, not just physical things but reading people. In the song explain how you perceive your uncle, and what he's done for you."

Don't you hate it when the answer to something is so painfully obvious that you can' see it?

"I knew there was something I liked about you." I muttered and I began. Again.

It must have been good, because after a while Fang put down the book and just listened.

*-*-8_8_

The days passed. Isn't it weird how when you're waiting for something, time just seems to slow down? That week felt like a month.

Lisa scurried away whenever she saw me. Jefferson glared whenever he saw me. Halloween passed, Ella and Nudge tried to force me into a costume. I threatened to take my pocketknife to theirs.

And I waited. Oh how I waited.

I didn't take my phone out of the charger for three days before November fifth. I always had it turned on.

This brings us to my room, November fifth 4:56 PM, with me pacing, and everyone trying to be quiet while they leaned their ears against my door.

While I paced, I thought. Thought of all that could happen.

What if he didn't call?

What if the school had him? What if he was in some cell while lesser scientist tried to metaphorically pick at his brain for answers to why their mutants weren't surviving or flourishing properly? What if he was on some operating table where lesser scientists _literally_ picked at his brain?

What if he was dead?

I stopped myself right there. My Dad wasn't dead. It wasn't possible. He was a fighter, a survivor, just like me. He wouldn't let any old eraser kill him.

4:58

My pacing increased. I didn't even know where he was! What if five o'clock where he was hours away from where _I_ was? Would he use his five o'clock or mine?

4:59

I was practically hyperventilating.

What if... What if he _forgot?_ What if he simply didn't remember that he said, no he _promised_ to call me? What if since I wasn't there anymore I had slipped his mind?

5:00

This is it. He's supposed to be calling right now.

My phone didn't ring. I stared at it, willing the call to come in, but it didn't.

5:01

He didn't call. Something happened. Maybe I had been forgotten. I slumped on my couch.

All of a sudden my hand started to vibrate. No it wasn't my hand! It was my phone!

With a shaky intake of breath I pressed talk.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three:

"Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart." It really was him. His voice. I knew it anywhere. It had chased away nightmares, given amazing advice, calmed me, instructed me, and helped me.

For a few moments we didn't say anything, we just listened to each other breathe. "I miss you Daddy." I said quiet enough so the others couldn't hear.

He sniffed. He was tearing up. I could tell. "I miss you too, Max."

"One sec." I said.

"D-unc" Duncle? "Can! Uncle Duncan! I've missed you so much! How are you? Really?" I walked outside onto my balcony. "Okay, we're good now; I could hear them outside my door." I sat down.

"Them? I'm glad you've made some friends, but what are they doing over while you're busy?"

"Oh they're with E"- I stopped. I realised he didn't know about Ella yet. Oh God. How can I tell him that he had another daughter? One that he hadn't met? One that he left? Wouldn't that tear him apart? "Uh, actually I'll tell you about that later." And I would. My Dad and I didn't have secrets, unless they were for safety. "How are you?" I knew it was a stupid mundane sounding question, but it covered so many bases.

"No identity confirming question Max? You're not going soft on me are you?" I grinned. I could picture the way his eyes would light up as he joked around.

"Alright. What was my Ari catching record in Fiji?"

"32 seconds. You made a few weeks after we got there and couldn't top it until Germany." I couldn't help wincing a little. Neither of us liked the memories we had of Germany.

"Correct." I smiled. "So how _are_ you doing?"

"I'm not going to lie, it hasn't always been easy. I miss you. But then I remember who you're with and I remember that it's your Mother's turn. I shouldn't get to have you all to myself when your Mom's probably just as lonely as I am." _She has Ella. Things could be just the way they used to be. _I wanted to plead. At least I think I did. Did I really want to go back to how I used to live? "No Itex encounters." I breathed a sigh of relief. "I was in Alaska before my present location, but I couldn't stand the sun never rising. Now enough about me. I want to hear about you. Don't spare any details."

I shivered a cold breeze whizzed by, and went inside. "Well there's a lot to tell. What do you want to know?" I paused. "One sec, it's cold out here. I'm going back in my room; I'll have to talk a bit quieter."

As I plopped down on my bed he asked "Do you have the room with the balcony?"

I smiled. "Yeah, it's amazing. There's a grand piano in here and everything."

He sounded confused, but happy. "That's always been your room. I'm a little surprised your mom gave it to you though, I thought she would have kept separate and given you one of the guest rooms." Correction: One guest room and Ella's room.

"She's using them for uh... a rec. room and work out room."

"Oh." He could tell I was lying. He knew it was just an excuse and I would tell him later.

"She let me paint a mural on my walls. One of them is still blank but there's a painting of the forest outside our house on the others."

"I'm sure it's beautiful." He paused. "Are you... Happy?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I miss you... all the time. There are some things about the way people act that I don't understand. I don't really fit in. But I have some amazing friends, Mom is- perfect. Completely perfect."

He chuckled. "She's always been that way."

"And there's..." I took a deep breath. I didn't know if Dad was going to be like the stereotypical Dad about this. "This guy."

I waited anxiously. He was silent for a few moments. "Name?"

"Fang." I bit my lip.

He took a deep breath. "Fang? He sounds like he's in a gang or something. Are you getting involved with the wrong kind of people?" He paused. "Sorry. I know you're a good judge of character. I just didn't prepare myself for something like this."

I laughed. "No he's not in a gang. Fang's actually just a nickname." I thought for a minute. "I don't really know where he got it actually. I'll have to ask him later. His real name is Nick."

Dad burst out laughing. I was shocked. I had no clue why. After he calmed down a bit he asked "Nick _Walker_?"

"Yeah...?"

"Anne's son? That little boy who you had a crush on when you were two?" He laughed again.

I was appalled. "I did _not_!"

"You did too!" I could picture the teasing grin on his face. "True love never dies! No matter distance or time!"

"Da- Uncle Duncan!" I changed.

"Okay I'm done." He chuckled. "I guess I don't have to give you all the warnings, or get him on the phone, because you can probably handle him on your own."

I laughed. "Damn Str- _Darn_ straight." He chuckled, not caring about my slip-up.

My smiled slipped from my face in worry. "He knows." I whispered.

Dad sobered immediately. "How much?"

"Not a whole lot." I admitted. "Just about my parentage. He figured it out on his own, he just can see me. The _real_ me." I paused. "I trust him."

Dad took a breath. "I'm glad you have someone. You deserve it." He paused to think. "What about Val?"

"She commented the other day that I look a lot like her husband. But the eyes threw her off." I shifted on my bed. "I love her. But I'm scared."

"I know sweetie. Maybe one day, if there's anyways I can"- He sighed. "How is she? Has she found... someone?"

I smiled. "No. When she talks about you she calls you her husband. Not her _ex_-husband."

He sniffed. He was tearing up again. "She must have been so lonely."

"Dad..." I whispered. It was now or never.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"She hasn't been alone." I managed.

"What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath. "Her name is Ella."

I think I heard him choke. "Ella...? That's what we almost named you..." His breath quickened.

"She has your eyes."

"Mine...? How?"

"She turns 15 on December 17th."

I waited as he did the math in his head. "My eyes?"

I smiled. "And your laugh. And our nose. Besides that she's like mom through and through."

"Tell me more." He pleaded.

I sat up and crossed my legs. "She's pretty, no she's stunning actually. She looks like a shorter younger version of mom. Long dark curls, ivory skin. She's insanely girly. _Insanely_. Her room is so... colourful. Her favourite colour is purple. She's dating James walker, Nick's twin"-

"She shouldn't be dating a seventeen year old at fourteen! She shouldn't be dating at all while she's fourteen!"

"Dad." I muttered. "She's almost fifteen, and Ig- _James_ is a really nice guy. Goofball. Wouldn't hurt a fly."

"You're one thing, I know _you_ can handle yourself... but teenage boys are..."

"Dad I already threatened to break his face if he tried anything. But honestly, he worships the ground she walks on." It was true.

He sighed. "I wish I could just go there. I've wished that for the past fourteen years, even more the past few months. But now... Not jumping on the next flight to Arizona is going to be difficult."

"I know."

"Could I... Talk to them?"

My eyebrows came together in confusion. "What?"

"Or at least just Ella, she wouldn't recognize my voice."

"You don't know that Dad, there could be home movies or something."

"I- I'll use my German accent or something! Please."

I sighed. "German accent. Just Ella."

"Thank you."

I smiled. "Just give me a sec."

I walked across the room rolling my eyes at what I knew was about to happen. As I opened the door Ella, Nudge, and Iggy fell into my room, Fang was a few feet away with his iPod in.

I pretended to be surprised. "What the heck? Is privacy that hard to come by?"

The three of them looked sheepish. "Ells," I said "Can you come in for a minute?" She nodded. "The rest of you, go downstairs and watch TV or something."

"But"- Nudge said.

"No." I shut the door and turned to Ella. "My uncle wants to talk to you." I said holding out the phone.

She looked surprised. "Why?"

"He just wants to get to know my family. He has a German accent so you'll have to listen carefully to what he says."

"Okay?" She took the phone.

*-*-8_8_

"Well it was nice to talk to you Mr. Ride, here's Max." She handed the phone to me.

I smiled, and then motioned for her to get out. After she shut the door I put the phone to my ear and whispered "Dad?"

"She sounds..."

"Perfect?"

I could hear the smile in his voice. "Yeah. She sounds a lot like you actually. Not her voice, but they way she talks"

I laughed. "She used to be perkier. I've changed her for the better. Although I've become slightly perkier with her around." I shuddered. "You know last week I helped her pick out an outfit? Fashion wise not durability wise."

"What?"

"I know."

He chuckled. "Sweetheart why don't you head downstairs?"

"What?" I exclaimed; did I have to hang up already? I looked at the clock; 6:28 I had a good hour and a half left on my phone.

"Keep the phone with you; just go down stairs to the front door."

"Um okay?" Everyone looked up at me as I came down. I put a finger to my lips and motioned to the phone still at my ear. "Okay... I'm at the front door what am I supposed to"- just then the doorbell rang, I jumped about a foot in the air and gasped.

He laughed. "Open the door Max."

I opened it. Standing there was... a mailman. "I have a package here for a Maximum Ride?" he said.

"That's me."

"Sign here please." I signed and he handed the package over. It felt like it was about five or six pounds.

"You didn't think I forgot about your 17th birthday did you Max?"

*-*-8_8_

I sat on my bed and unwrapped the packaging. Inside looked like to be a mini guitar case. I gasped slightly as I opened it.

"It's beautiful." I said. And it was. Inside the case was a dark wood violin. "I don't know how to play it though."

My Dad chuckled through the phone. "I know you love learning to play a new instrument.

I turned it over and took a sharp intake of breath. The inscription on the back said _Happy Birthday Max Love Dad and Ari._

"Ari?" I whispered.

"We had ordered it a few months before your birthday. When the time came I didn't know how happy you would have been to play it, so I put it away for the next year. I found it when I moved everything important to Alaska."

My eyes watered slightly. I took a deep breath. "Thank you."

"Happy Birthday sweetheart." He sighed, looking at the time. 8:30 PM my clock read. "I'll have to go soon."

"I know." I said sadly. Then I remembered. "I have something for you too."

"What?"

"Just listen. I'm going to put you on speaker phone okay?"

"Alright." I hit the correct button and put the phone on the piano. "Can you hear me?"

"Yah." He said with his accent. I laughed and sat down on the bench.

I took a breath, placed my fingers on the keys, and began to play.

**(When I look at you Miley Cyrus)**

_Everybody needs inspiration,  
everybody needs a song.  
A beautiful melody,  
When the night's so long.  
Cause there is no guarantee,  
That this life is easy._

Yeah when my world is falling apart.  
When there's no light to break up the dark,  
That's when I, I, I look at you.  
When the waves are flooding the shore,_  
and I can't find my way home anymore.  
That's when I, I, I look at you._

When I look at you,_  
I see forgiveness,__  
I see the truth.  
You love me for who I am,  
Like the stars hold the moon,  
Right there where they belong.__  
and I know I'm not alone._

Yeah when my world is falling apart,  
When there's no light to break up the dark,  
That's when I, I, I look at you.  
When the waves are flooding the shore,_  
and I can't find my way home anymore,  
That's when I, I, I look at you._

You, appear just like a dream to me._  
Just like kaleidoscope colors,  
That cover me,  
All I need,  
Every breath that I breathe,  
Don't you know you're beautiful!_

Yeah

When the waves are flooding the shore,_  
and I can't find my way home anymore,  
That's when I, I, I look at you.  
I look at you, Yeah, Woah._

You, appear just like a dream to me.

I was panting slightly when I finished singing. I picked up the phone. I could hear the others were at my door again.

I turned off the speaker and held the phone to my ear. "That was beautiful Honey, thank you."

"I love you." I whispered.

I could hear he was crying a little. "I love you too Max. More than anything. I miss you so much."

I took a shaky breath. "I miss you too."

"If you ever decide to tell your mother, tell her I love her. And Ella. I love her too, already."

"I will." I promised. "Talk to you February fifth?"

"I'll call you at 11:00 PM Christmas Eve." I smiled. Every year at midnight, my Dad would always come in and wish me a Merry Christmas.

"Bye."

"Love you."

"I'll talk to you when" I started

"I can sing again."

I smiled. Whenever we separated we said that. It meant when we talked to each other next was when we could be happy again.

The line went dead.

**8_8_*-*-**

**Yo. Sorry for the mega long no update thing. I would like to thank reviewer A for understanding! Anyways. Sorry about the Miley stuff, it just fit perfectly. And a shout out to super ellie. 'D whose reviews always make me smile.**

**And again thank you to all my other readers and reviewers, I appretiate it!**


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty-four:

I sighed. I knew I would talk to my Dad sooner than I originally thought, but it still killed me inside to hear that dial tone.

I picked my violin up and ran my hands over the inscription.

Flash back:

_In five days I would turn Fourteen. I wasn't really focusing on that though. I didn't even remember until five days later my dad came into Ari's room and said happy birthday_

_But back to November 1st. _

_I stroked Ari's sweaty brow, and placed a fresh washcloth with cool water on it. I knew it wouldn't matter; the washcloth would become warm again in minutes._

_I remembered how just a few weeks ago Ari was flouncing around in his rubber boots, holding Dad's hand going on about my birthday surprise._

_Oh how the times had changed._

_He had a large coughing fit. I rubbed his back, knowing there was nothing I could do but wait for it to stop._

_I looked over at my Dad's tortured expression. He was a scientist who was probably smarter than the most specialized of surgeons. But there was nothing he could do but watch his only son slowly deteriorate._

_I wiped to blood from Ari's mouth, and helped him sit up. I held a glass of water to his lips, being careful of the IV next to him._

_Through the whole ordeal his eyes remained shut. They hardly ever opened anymore. He drank for a bit, then laid back down, and fell back asleep._

"_He doesn't have long, does he?" I asked Dad._

_Dad shook his head mutely, his eyes never leaving Ari's face._

"_M-max?" Ari croaked. His eyes slowly opened, watery and blood-shot; a sad memory of what they used to be. _

_I stroked his brow. "I'm here Air-bear." _

_He turned his head "Daddy?"_

_My Dad's grip on Ari's hand tightened. "Right here, bud."_

"_Can I have..." He took a deep breath._

"_What? You can have anything Ari." I said._

"_A hug?" I choked out a strangled laugh and look at my Dad, who had tears streaming down his cheeks._

_We wrapped our arms around him and each other. We were a family; we always would be, the three of us, no matter if we were separated._

_We hung on for about ten minutes, just existing with each other for as long as we could. We set Ari back down, but he kept his eyes open._

_With that came the worst realization of all. He knew. He knew he didn't have much time. No ten year old should ever have to go through that._

"_Love you."_

_My Dad and I reciprocated the sentiment._

"_Max?" His voice couldn't go higher than a whisper._

"_Yeah?"_

"_Could you sing? The smile song?"_

_I nodded. "Do you want me to get my guitar?" _

_He shook his head."Just sing." I nodded._

_I reached across him and held my Dad's hand in my left, Ari's in my right. I took a shaky breath._

Smile though  
your heart is aching,  
Smile  
Even though it's breaking, 

_Ari's breathing became harder and harder, but a smile came to his face none the less._

When there are clouds in the sky- You'll get by,  
If you  
Smile through your fear and sorrow,

Smile and maybe tomorrow  
You'll see the sun come shining through- For you. 

_His grip on my hand loosened slightly as he became weaker. My Dad's became tighter._

Light up your face with gladness,  
Hide every trace of sadness,  
Although a tear may be ever so near,

_His eyes closed and his face relaxed._

That's the time you must keep on trying,  
Smile- What's the use of crying,  
You'll find that life is still worthwhile, 

"_If you just smile". I whispered in his ear._

_The breath left Ari's body, and he died._

I hung my head in my hands, my violin next to me.

_Why did you have to die, Ari? You only brought good into the world, why were you taken from it?_

With an aggravated shriek I threw some books across my room. They slammed into the white wall with a _SMACK_ and left a dent.

I pushed my hair out of my face with a sigh. Throwing books wasn't going to do anyone any good.

I felt like screaming.

I was torn. The phone call with my Dad made me realize something. I loved and missed my Dad every bit as much- of not more than when I got here. But if I was given the chance to hop on a plane and go be with him again, I would hesitate. I wouldn't know what to do. Be here? Or go back?

From ages two to seven there was only one person I cared about. After that, there were two.

Losing one of them was one of the most painful things I've had to go through.

Ari was bright, smart, and strong. He knew about the world we lived in. He knew about the suffering and the- the _cruelty_ that went on inside it. He knew how to fight. I trained him every day we were free. He was genetically enhanced. _None of this_ saved him from dying.

None.

If my Dad died- it would be painful, so, so painful. I would never be the same. But eventually I could get through it. Because that's what he would want. Because we were both survivors.

But now, there are more than just two people I care about. Iggy, Nudge, even Gazzy and Angel, they're my _friends. _I never had friends before. Mom and Ella are my family now! And Fang. Oh for the love of God and then there's Fang.

They are all plain. Human. Weak. They live in this small town isolated from the real world. But... I love them. _All_ of them.

What if I lost them? It wouldn't even have to have anything to do with Itex. They could fall and break their necks, or get in a car crash or... get sick.

Or what if it was Itex? What if they died because of who I am? Because of _what _I am?

Could I handle that? Could _anyone_? Could I ever get past losing them?

As much as my Dad taught me he never taught me about this. He never taught me that when you love different people at once—when you let more in, your heart doesn't get spread thinner over everyone. It grows.

And when it grows, it becomes easier and easier to break.

*-*-8_8_

I needed to fly. I _needed_ to. My head was dangerously close to exploding.

Right then all I was feeling was hate. Hate at the scientists for doing this to me. Hate at the stupid bureaucrats and politicians who didn't properly disband the scientific research that the government was originally funding. I even hated my Dad a little for sending me here.

I was miserable, because I thought- no I _knew_ that my family and friends here could never be safe with me here. And losing them would destroy me.

Pulling back from them now wasn't just to soften the blow if I ever had to leave, no it was self preservation.

_Ah, the Hell with it._ I thought.

I walked out onto my balcony and put my headphones in and scrolled down to Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 'Pathétique'.

I slowed my breaths. I focused on the in and out movements of the air in my lungs.

And air sacs.

I listened to the soothing notes and closed my eyes, revelling in the breeze that just moved past me.

I stood up on the railing, debating.

_No one would see you. _I thought. I wouldn't even fly off my balcony. I would just jump down, and avoid everyone downstairs.

I was about to step off when all of a sudden I was ripped off the rail.

Fangs arms stayed wrapped around my waist as he practically _tore_ the head phones out of my ears.

My face was only an inch away from his and for the first time... I was scared _of_ Fang. He was completely livid.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING MAX?" I ripped my shoulders out of his tight grip and took a step back.

"What does it look like? I'm committing suicide." I said snarkily with my arms crossed.

His jaw dropped in disbelief. "Why?" He whispered.

"Oh for God's sake. I'm not trying to kill myself, idiot! The worst that drop could do is snap my ankle bone and that's only if I try to land perfectly straight on one foot."

His anger immediately reappeared. The little flecks of gold in his eyes were gone, and they were pitch-black. "Then what in God's name are you doing?"

I rolled my eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know?" I muttered and pushed past him, back into my room. There would be no flying right now.

I sank down on my couch.

From outside I saw Fang take several deep breaths and pinch the bridge of his nose. "I swear on day she's going to give me an aneurism." He muttered, thinking I couldn't hear. When he came inside his expression had calmed quite a bit. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. But what was I supposed to think?" He sighed. "I'm guessing the call didn't go as well as planned?

I shook my head. "The call was fine. I miss him. A lot."

Fang paused and deliberated on what he was going to say.

But of all the things he could have said, I didn't expect this.

"It was your dad?"

My eyes snapped towards his face. "What?"

"Your Dad- it was him wasn't it?" I couldn't deny it. I could hold the truth from Fang but he could tell when I was outright lying.

"How did you know?"

He nodded his head towards the violin next to me.

_Love Dad and Ari._

"I see."

"So he had you the past fourteen years and he just _kept _you? He didn't even think of bringing you back home?" Fang asked, with a hint of disgust.

I raised my chin and glared at him. How dare he? My Dad had done nothing but think and protect my mother myself and Ari for the past fourteen years and he had the nerve to judge him? "Don't think you know my Dad. Don't think you understand why he does what he does, because you don't."

I sighed. I didn't want to be mad at Fang when I did what I was about to do. I didn't want him to think it was his fault.

"I can see why you would think he's horrible for not bringing me back." I said. "I get it, I really do. But my Dad is one of the most compassionate and loving people in the world. You just have to understand that you don't know all of the circumstances the made us have to stay away."

Fang sat down next to me and looked me right in the eyes and said "Then tell me. It can't be that awful. I'll understand."

Right then I wanted nothing more than to tell Fang everything. _Everything._ I wanted to scream and cry into his shoulder about all the pain that I had gone through. But most of all, I wanted to just open my wings. They were such a big part of me, not just physically either. I wanted him to _know_.

But that couldn't happen. _Not_ telling him was as much to protect him as it was to protect me.

So I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his shoulder, one last time. But who knows, maybe someday we could be like this again.

He wrapped one arm around me waist and put his other hand in my hair. "Let me in Max." He whispered.

I took a deep breath and unwillingly pulled back. I let all emotion slip off my face. "I'm sorry Fang." I shifted away from him. His eyes were questioning. "I don't think this is going to work."

I couldn't look at him. His face was confused and hurt as he said "What?"

I closed my eyes. "I don't think _we're _going to work." When I opened m eyes again his expression was what it usually was- unexpected.

He was calm. Completely calm and unruffled. Did I really not mean as much to him as he meant to me? Did this not hurt him too?

"Fang?" I prompted, not being able to stand the silence.

He didn't say anything. Typical. Fang was a man of action, not words. He simply leaned down and kissed me, hard. After just a few seconds he pulled back. He took my hand and placed it over his heart. It was beating rapidly. "You feel that?" I nodded, reluctantly. "It's for you." He placed his own hand over my heart. I had a naturally high heart beat but, like his, it was going faster than usual. "And that's for me?" His dark gaze didn't let up its hold on mine. I sighed and nodded again. "So you're just going to end it?"

"I"- I paused. I could back out of this, I could stay with Fang and be _happy_, but possibly crushed if I lost him. I could be lost and crush _him_. Or, I could end it right here and be unhappy, but definitely survive. You can't lose what you don't have after all. I made up my mind. "I'm sorry Fang."

He snorted. "Figures."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

He stood up and started walking towards the door. "The _great_ Maximum Ride can't be tied down to anything. No one can have a hold on her." I opened my my mouth to protest, but he continued on, with one hand on the door knob. "Well you might as well come downstairs, its _your_ birthday party after all."

My eyes widened in horror.

"Many happy returns." He said. 


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty-five:

"You _told_?" I asked in disbelief. It was one thing to tell them after I basically just dumped him, according to most of my psychology books humans and animals alike, act irrationally in anger or territorialism. But he had to have told them _before_. I didn't understand.

He rolled his eyes. "Always jumping to conclusions." He looked at me dispassionately. "No. Your mom does this every year. When _some_ people make a commitment they stick by it."

Ouch. I'll admit that one hurt. The way he was looking at me didn't help much either.

"What does she do?" I asked, sucking it up pretending to ignore his last comment.

"She kind of makes a shrine to you with candles and your picture. We all usually come to support her. We watch home movies of you and eat birthday cake."

"Oh."

He scoffed. "Whatever. I'm going downstairs." He looked at me before shutting the door. "Do us all a favour: Don't jump."

Right then, the door, like our relationship slammed shut.

*-*-8_8_

I contemplated jumping, I really did. But not to inflict pain on myself; I wasn't that stupid. To escape.

For the first time in about five years I felt completely trapped.

With what I'm sure was a sullen expression I opened the door quietly and went downstairs.

I expected to be ambushed. Honestly, it had happened enough times already.

"Max?" Ella said timidly. "You okay?"

I was puzzled. My eyes flashed to Fang, who remained frustratingly impassive, leaning against a wall, observing.

No, he hadn't told them about our recent break-up. In fact, I'm pretty sure we hadn't even told them about our fairly brief relationship.

It dawned on me. The books, the shrieks. Fang yelling at me. They could probably hear it all. I took a deep breath, but couldn't meet her eyes. Couldn't meet my Dad's eyes, because I knew, deep down he wouldn't want me to do this. "I'm fine." I uttered, and sat down in the furthest possible spot away from Fang.

I glanced at Nudge and Iggy, who were shifting uncomfortably from the tension in the room.

The door opened. "I'm home!" Mom called. She walked in, completely oblivious to the strained looks on everyone's faces.

Mom placed her keys on the side table and took her coat off.

She kissed Ella's head, and walked over to me, warily. Things were still tense after this morning. "How did it go Max?"

I shrugged. "It was alright. He's doing fine." I couldn't help but notice Fang's raised eyebrow in my direction. _Are you going to tell her?_ It seemed to say. I rolled my eyes. _No, of course not._

Mom simply nodded.

"Well, I don't know if Ella told you or not but every year we sort of have a little celebration for my daughter Maxine's birthday, by watching old movies and eating cake." She smiled. "It's nice to take one day a year to remember her."

"I'm sure." I said weakly.

"Well let's put those movies in shall we?"

*-*-8_8_

As we watched, I remembered. And remembering _hurt_. I was disgusted in myself. Never before had I ever felt like such an abomination- such a freak. Growing up, my wings were a part of me, and I didn't understand that they weren't normal. But now... seeing myself when I was young, innocent, and _completely human_, I realized how completely wrong my very existence was.

"_She's so beautiful." My mom said, holding a two day old me. Though her face and her body looked tired her eyes still shone._

"_You both are." My Dad said from behind the camera. Mom flashed him a loving smile._

"_Maxie, are you gonna wave to your Gramma?" _I have a _Gramma?_ _She lifted my little are up and moved it side to side. "Hi Gramma!"_

The video transitioned to six months later.

_Mom was feeding a slightly bigger me some green mush. _It struck me how _young_ she looked. She couldn't have been older than 22. There were no worry lines on her face, her brown eyes- my eyes- shone with a light that I had never seen before. She was stunning.

"_Maxie, eat your food you silly girl." _

_I refused._

"_Here Val, let me." My dad said and she took the camera as he came around. _It took all I had not to gasp out loud. My father looked so _different_. His face as I knew it looked so... _Haggard_ compared to the man in this video. He looked at both the baby and the woman behind the camera with so much adoration it was astounding.

The video transitioned to when I was about two.

_Mom was behind the camera and I was wrapped up in the tire swing with my Dad pushing me. _

"_Maxie, do you like the swing Daddy made for you?" I giggled and nodded._

"_MAXMAXMAXMAXMAX!" Was heard. Two little boys with the exact same hair cut, height and face shape came running into the picture. One of the boys had big blue eyes, almost white hair, and pale skin. The other huge black eyes, tan skin, and raven black hair._

_I giggled as Dad lifted me down. "MAX! Nick bit me!" Iggy said._

_The little culprit grinned proudly. "Show her your arm." He said._

_Iggy held out his skinny little arm with a crescent shaped imprint on it. "Why did you bite him?" I asked, shocked._

"_He ate my chocolate bar!" _

_I giggled. "I'm gonna start callin you Fang now." _

I stood up. I couldn't take this anymore. Right now, remembering the fight with my mom this morning, and watching these videos, I knew exactly what to say to push her away. They were a low blow, but they were necessary.

"So this is the girl I'm supposed to be replacing?" I snarled. The faces around the room varied from confused to horrified. "I think I've got enough information to fill her role now, thanks." I forced out. It was all I could do not to run and give my mom a hug as tears filled her eyes.

I turned on my heel, walk towards the front entrance and slammed the door on my way out.

*-*-8_8_

I stayed out flying until the early hours of the morning, where everyone was fast asleep.

I felt... Out of place, to put it lightly. I felt like I didn't belong _anywhere._

I always knew I was different. I accepted that I _am_ a freak a long time ago. It never really bothered me until now. Because my Dad looked at me differently in those videos. I hadn't noticed that sadness in his eyes until I saw how _happy_ he was. I truly didn't belong anywhere.

_No. _I thought, feeling the warm wind glide across my face. _I belong here, in the sky. Here I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be._

*-*-8_8_

My heart clenched at the sight of mom asleep on the couch in the living room, most likely waiting up for me. I trudged upstairs and silently opened Ella's door a crack. She was asleep, tucked under her bright orange and purple comforter. I noticed that her eyes were slightly puffy and she had tissues crumpled around her. She had been crying.

_Oh Ells..._

I shut her door and scrubbed my hands over my face. Then my stomach let out a gurgle.

_Stupid necessities. _I thought. I suddenly really wanted my Dad's eggs. He did something to them, God knows what, that made them taste better than any other eggs I've ever had. I snorted. I was missing _eggs_. This was getting sad.

I made my way towards the kitchen. There was a slice of birthday cake on the counter. I grabbed a fork. _Happy Birthday, Maxine. _I thought as I took a bite_._

*-*-8_8_

My eyes slid over to Fang, in the seat next to mine. He sat completely still eyes not turning away from the blackboard, but I knew he knew I was watching him.

In English class we would usually be having a silent conversation right now or passing notes even. I let out a sigh.

Now that I had... Well... _Dumped_ him, I realized something very important. I _missed_ him. Which is stupid, because how can you miss someone who is sitting right next to you?

Fang looked over at me. My eyes widened.

"Miss Ride!" The teacher exclaimed.

My head whipped around. "Hm?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't suppose you can tell me what we were just talking about can you?"

I glanced at the board and read the notes quickly. "The various themes about William Golding's _Lord of the Flies_."

She huffed and continued writing on the board. Normal people still confused me sometimes. I mean I told her what she wanted to hear and she _still_ became angry.

I looked over at Fang. He was staring forward again.

*-*-8_8_

I burst out of the cafeteria doors in a panic. I still wasn't able to take crowds. But unlike what usually happened, no one came after me. Everyone was pissed off at me for my little show at Maxine- wait MY birthday party.

How does that song go? It's my party and I'll cry if I want to... Then again, only Fang knew it was my party, and _he_ was mad at me for entirely different reasons.

Meh. Inconsequential inner ramblings.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Probably another text from Mom. She acted like she was just worried, but I could tell she was more than a little angry with me.

At breakfast Ella wouldn't look at me. She was _most definitely_ angry with me. I didn't even bother to offer her a ride this morning because she just breezed past me with an air of ice following her as she went to the Walkers'.

I walked over to one of the picnic tables and dumped my bag on it. I pulled my phone from my pocket.

Unknown number. Could it be? But I just talked to him yesterday! I drew my eyebrows together as I opened the text message.

_You seem glum._

_What's got you so down?_

_You seem like someone who's usually in high spirits._

_-O_

O? I didn't know anyone with the initial O.

A chill ran down my spine. I didn't like that. On the surface there didn't seem anything wrong with the message besides the fact that I didn't know who it was from. I took my slumped stature into account, and the frown on my face that had deepened.

I suddenly felt very much watched. I looked around me. Not a soul in sight.

You seem like someone who is usually in _high_ spirits? THAT sounded too much like a reference of flight to me.

My phone buzzed.

_You can look around all you want._

_You can't run or hide._

_I can do both._

I think my heart stopped beating for a second. Oh God.

_Calm down, Max. _I thought. _It's probably just some stupid prank._

"Well well. If it isn't Miss Freakazoid herself." A sickly sweet voice said from behind me.

I whirled around, and rolled my eyes, dropping the fighting stance that had I automatically moved into. "Lisa. To what do I owe the _pleasure_?" The red haired demon spawn was flanked by two of her minions and two football players flanked them each. "Lisa, I'm _touched_. You brought all your little friends to meet me?" I said snarkily.

She did the classic popular girl hair flip, that made me once again feel like I was in a movie. "Did Nick dump your sorry ass once he realized what a freak you were? I can't help but notice _he's_ in there, while _you're_ out here."

I snorted. "Good girl! You want a cookie?"

Lisa's face screwed up into a scowl. I noticed her glance behind me, too late. Burly arms of what could only have been football players, members of the wrestling team, or whoever else Lisa was screwing, grabbed my arms and held them behind my back.

She glared at me. To anyone else, this would have been a frightening position. But I wasn't anyone else. I _was_ Miss Freakazoid, who knew how to get out of this hold and pin my opponent down in seconds.

Lisa got up right in my face. "I am going to make you regret messing with me." I was about to pull out of the hold when she said "Nowhere to run now."

_Nowhere to hide._ I thought back to the text message. They said I couldn't hide, bit I could damn well try. So instead of pulling out of the hold of two teenage boys that _should_ be stronger than me, I stayed put.

I mean, it was obvious the boys weren't comfortable with hitting me. But Lisa obviously was. And she looked like she couldn't crack an egg.

Then she pulled back her small fist and slammed it into my face.

I would like to pause the story for a minute, just to justify my next course of action.

You see, when I calculated the force of Lisa's fist on my nose I forgot to factor in that my bones are much thinner than human bones, my cartilage specifically. Usually I don't worry about it because I have my dense muscles tightly packed around my bones. What I forgot, is that there isn't a whole lot of muscle around my nose.

So, she unexpectedly broke it.

Now I have a very high pain tolerance. But broken noses hurt like a bitch. And whenever my body is subjected to immense pain, it goes into fight or flight mode. The scientists messed with, among other things, my adrenaline levels. So at this point in time I was standing there with a broken nose, blood gushing from it, my arms pinned behind my back, and adrenaline flooding through me at alarming rates, that needed to be used before I went into cardiac arrest.

So I could:

a) Fly away.

Because _that_ would be a genius move.

b) Run away.

With my nose gushing blood? I don't think so. My blood is not a good thing to have lying around.

c) Fight.

And probably hospitalize everyone around me? No thanks.

So I chose option d).

I screamed bloody murder.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty six:

"YOU BITCH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The boys behind me dropped my arms as if they'd been burned. My hands flew to my nose quickly setting it before it started to heal. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" My hands stayed on my face in a weak attempt to stem the blood flow. My blood was much thinner than humans; this makes it able to move around my body faster which does all sorts of things to my strength levels, healing ability, and endurance. But because my blood was so thin, it flowed much faster out of wounds.

I looked down and saw that the front of my shirt and my leather jacket were almost soaked in it. This was my _favourite_ jacket. My mom had just gotten it for me a few months ago and it fit _perfectly._ Now I was pissed.

I looked up and saw Lisa standing there with an utterly stupid and confused look on her face. Why had she continued to go after me? Didn't she see what happened last time? And more importantly _what_ had I ever done to her besides lash out when she did the same to me? I suddenly realized I _hated_ Lisa just as much as I hated anyone from the school. She was just like the erasers in a way. They would bully and taunt the mutants in their cages, just for the fun of it. For the _amusement _of seeing others in pain_._ My anger skyrocketed.

I walked up to Lisa, dropped down, and whipped my leg out, knocking her off her feet. Her minions were long gone now. I stood over her. I must have been a sight. Already dried blood all over my face and clothes to go with the blood that was still streaming out my nose. Add that to my menacing glare, and you have a pretty gruesome image.

"WHAT DID I FUCKING TELL YOU ABOUT TESTING ME?" I spat in her face. Blood was pounding in my ears and I was getting tunnel vision. If I didn't stop the bleeding now, I would pass out.

Once a month my Dad would always take a pint of blood from me and flash freeze it in case I ever needed it. I didn't have access to that now. I also didn't have anyone who could donate.

I looked around at the crowd; didn't these people have anything better to do? Or could they, I don't know, _help_?

I couldn't hold my head back or I would choke on my own blood. _Gross._ I couldn't put my head down because I didn't want anyone to have _access_ to my blood if it fell on the ground.

I needed something to clog it so no more would leak out and it could scab over. I took off my _favourite _jacket and held it against my nose. I could get another jacket, not another life. I could feel myself getting weaker.

_Shit_ didn't even begin to describe the trouble I was in now. The worst part? I had _no one_ to ask for help. They were all mad at me.

I pushed through the crowd and with my now blurry vision, I looked for the entrance back to the school, but I was to dizzy to focus on any destination. In short, I was royally _screwed_.

Then familiar faces came in to my line of sight. They walked out of the cafeteria with concerned expressions on their faces.

And then they saw me.

*-*-8_8_

Fang was having a bad day. _Hell_, he was having a bad week. He'd been dumped, lied to, and humiliated by the one girl he couldn't get out of his head.

He looked around the table at his friends, his _family_. They looked like they were in about the same mood as he was. All because of _her._

Admittedly, it was kind of melodramatic to refuse to think her name, but Fang was stoic enough outside his head to allow for it.

He simply _didn't get it_. What was her problem? These were people she _knew_ cared about her and would never let her down. She always had hinted there was something wrong with her, but Fang didn't see anything wrong, which only added to the aggravation.

He was completely and totally _whipped._ And he hated it.

The worst part about it was that he knew she felt the same way. He wasn't _that_ ignorant. The mixed signals were killing him. She could be so warm and caring one minute and the next she was distant and closed off.

Fang sighed inwardly.

_Inwardly_. That's how he did a lot of things. He didn't know why. He just had trust issues. That was one of the things that drew him to her in the first place. They were so similar.

He returned to the thoughts that occupied the heads of the people around him, causing the dejected looks on their faces.

That display at the birthday-remembrance thing was completely uncalled for. They had done _nothing_ to provoke the thought that she was simply replacing someone. On the surface there was no reason for it.

But Fang knew why she did it. It was obviously an attempt to pull away. She couldn't be mad for replacing herself. Could she? She wasn't insane. Was she?

He didn't know. He didn't know a lot of things about her. _She likes grey. For completely profound reasons usually not associated with favourite colours. _

How could _that_ bit of information help anything?

Fang surveyed the cafeteria like he did every ten minutes. When you don't talk a lot you see a lot more. He came to that conclusion much earlier in his life.

One would think he would sit with his buddies from the track team. He _was_ the captain after all. The truth was he was only captain because he was that fastest by a long shot. He wasn't some natural born leader and he didn't actually have any real friends on the team. Well, besides Sam.

Fang caught Sam's eye, but Sam quickly looked away. He wrapped his arm around J.J. absentmindedly. They had decided not to sit with the people who were friends with the crazy Max chick. He didn't really have Sam as a friend either.

Fang's eyes slid to the football team. He didn't really know why he was on the football team, other than the fact that Iggy talked him into something about the prospect of scholarships. He wasn't even that good at football.

Whatever.

Fang's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the scene in front of him. One player, Fang vaguely remembered his name was Jake, came to the table with what appeared to be an exciting story.

The whole table got up and followed Jake outside.

Ugh. What did Fang care about what the team did?

He looked at Ella. She seemed to be the most broken up about the incident. Ella and her mom were really close; they had live together just the two of them for a long time.

Fang remembered how Ella was distraught at first as the thought of having a sister, someone she had to share her mom with. Fan didn't know how, but Val had somehow turned her opinion completely around.

Ella was upset mostly about what that did to her mom. It angered Fang too, because Valencia Martinez was one of the kindest people in existence. She didn't deserve to be hurt like that.

"Ells, I'm sure she didn't really mean it. She was just stressed about her phone call with her uncle." Iggy tried to reassure her.

Ella looked at Fang, seeking out his reassurance as well. Because Fang knew her sister the best. Fang loved Ella like he loved Angel. She was like a little sister. So it angered him all the more, because he couldn't reassure her. He didn't know what was wrong with her sister.

He tried to convey his sorry in one look, but he knew she probably couldn't see it. Only _she_ could tell what he meant without him saying it.

That's when they heard it.

An earth shattering scream, which was undoubtedly from the girl on all of their minds.

Fang thought that his heart stopped for a second. He watched Nudges hand fly to her mouth with a gasp. The blood drained from Ella's face. "Oh my God." She said.

The hairs on the back of Fang's neck stood up. He had heard her scream before, when he was lying awake with insomnia, and her dreams were terrifying her. _The only thing that could hurt Max was Max, _he had thought at the time.

Now he wasn't so sure.

Their lunches forgotten, the group hastened out the door.

Fang didn't know what he had been expecting, but it wasn't this. There was a crowd parted, like the red sea and Max stumbling out of it.

_Stumbling._ That seemed so wrong. Max didn't stumble. She had this certain unnatural grace about her that both confused and amazed him.

Something moved on her back, like something alive under her shirt. But Fang didn't notice it for long because then he looked at her. Really looked at her. Her usually beautiful face looked almost grotesque and gory with blood. Her normally soft and shiny hair was matted with it. Her eyes, currently containing the green he had come to hate, were drooping. There was blood _everywhere_ on her, but none around her.

"OH MY GOD!" Ella yelled from beside him.

"Shit." Iggy mustered. Nudge, for once, was at a loss.

His eyes met hers. They seemed to plead help. And because she was Max, he started to run.

He got to her as soon as she started to tilt.

Fang had never told anyone this, but he wanted to be a doctor. Whereas Iggy had mainly dealt in chemistry, Fang did biology. And he was good at it.

So when he caught Max as she fell, he knew no one her height could weigh so little. Sure, she was skinny, but not _that_ skinny. He also knew that her blood shouldn't be that thin. Or that bright of a red.

He knelt on the ground as he held her. He pushed her hair away from her eyes and held her head up, which had started to loll.

"Max? Max talk to me. What happened?" He had never seen her weak before. Sad, distant, but never weak. She let out a groan. "Hey, hey. Look at me." He whispered urgently. He vaguely felt the presence of the others around him.

"Fang?" she whispered.

"I'm here." He uttered in relief. "We're going to get you to a hospital Max."

"NO." She said. He drew his eyebrows together. She said it with the usual power in her voice, but the color was still draining from her face. "You have to listen to me." She ordered. Only Max could order someone around when she was so weak. He nodded, but saw he eye have trouble focusing on his face. "I've stopped the bleeding. But I'm going to pass out."

"Then we'll take you to a hos"- he tried to protest.

"No. No hospitals. I promise I'll be fine." Her voice was losing its force.

"But"-

"Promise me Fang. No hospitals." Her eyes turned hard. "Fang. Trust me." He scoffed. If _that_ wasn't ironic he didn't know what was. "_Fang._" He studied her face. Max wouldn't say no to hospitals unless she had a reason. If she said she would be fine, she would be.

"I promise."

Her eyelids started to flutter. "_Good._" And she went limp.

"_FUCK._" He muttered. He looked up. Ella had tears in her eyes and was trying not to hyperventilate. Nudge appeared to be shaking. Iggy had his arms around both of them.

"She's going to be fine." He said. "Ell, call your mom." She nodded. "Can I have your house key? I'm going to take her home."

Fang took her key and pocketed it. He hoisted Max into his arms, with the odd ease of her too-light weight. "What the fuck do you think you're looking at?" He barked at the people staring.

He started towards his car.

*-*-8_8_

_Come on Max. Wake up. You're tougher than this. _Fang thought as he sat next to Max, who was still unconscious, but now on her bed.

Right then he wanted nothing more than to see her big beautiful brown eyes. Hell, he would even go for the flat grass green colour of her contacts, if she would just _open her eyes._

It had been two hours. Ella hadn't been able to get hold of her mom, who was performing a surgery on a dog who had swallowed some plastic squeaky toys.

Fang had given Iggy Max's bike keys so he could come and get the car. _Max will probably bash my head in._

Whatever. Iggy had six years of motocross training. Her baby would be fine.

Fang ran his hands through his hair. _Fuck. I should just bring her to the hospital. What the hell am I thinking? _

A million images flashed though his head. Max's grin. It wasn't some flawless fake beauty pageant smile, but a ridiculous borderline insane look on her face that he wouldn't trade for the world. That look she got on her face when she knew something you didn't. Her face relaxed while reading Angel and the Gasman a bedtime story. Her 'casually amused' face that appeared usually when dealing with Iggy, Ella, and Nudge. Her face when she was looking at Fang. The look that he couldn't begin to fathom.

But there was also her glare. The one that sent a chill down your spine if you looked at it too long. The cold calculating stare she had when faced with an opponent. Like it was not a matter of _if_ she would win, only the _how_. The almost animalistic snarl she did when Lisa surrounded her with the football team.

Max had many faces. He gazed at her now near perfect face that he had washed to blood off. Her expression was troubled, even when she was asleep. But Fang figured that was normal, she had woken up screaming enough times. If she was dreaming that meant she was just asleep.

The bruise around her nose had already started to move to under her eyes. That wasn't normal. That should have taken at least a few days. But right then he Fang didn't care. He just wanted her to wake up, to prove that he was right to not take her to the hospital. Because if something happened to her it would be his fault, and he couldn't live with that.

"_Please_ Max."


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty seven:

I woke up with a start. I felt... wrong. Not myself. My hand went to my nose. It was perfectly healed; I didn't even feel any bruising. That was... weird. I mean, I heal quickly, but something broken, even a nose would at least take two days to become _completely_ back to normal.

Then I noticed my hand. It was scar-less. My knuckles weren't calloused, they were soft. And my nails... were perfectly smooth and rounded at a decent length instead of being chewed off as short as possible. My arm looked wrong. It too was scar-less and my skin wasn't its normal light tan, but a perfectly bronzed colour you can only get from living your whole life in the sun, or going to a tanning bed.

I looked up for the first time. My mural was gone and replaced with a light blue colour. My furniture was no longer dark wood, but all white. My couch and books were gone and replaced with what appeared to be a trophy case.

A trophy case? How the Hell did that make _any_ sense? I was starting to freak out. This _was_ my room, the doors and view was exactly the same, but it looked completely different. My hand shot to my side table in search of my contacts.

_Ugh. What was Fang going to do? Take them out of your eyes? _I thought stupidly. Then I blinked. They weren't there.

...

WTF.

I slid out of bed. And teetered. My legs felt wrong too. They felt weak. I looked around. This was _not_ the view I usually saw things from. I felt _short_. My hand went to my back and felt for my braid. But it wasn't there. There wasn't any hair there. Just bare back.

My hands shot to my head. Good, I wasn't bald. The hair that now brushed against my shoulders felt _soft_. Softer and smoother and straighter than it had ever been.

Wait a minute.

_Just bare back?_ I tried to unfurl my wings. I couldn't feel them. My hands probed my back. Just skin. I started to hyperventilate. I dashed out of my room and into the bathroom.

The bathroom was _exactly the same._ I let out a breath and turned on the tap and splashed some water on my face. I looked up.

And immediately regretted it.

I let out a shriek as I saw myself. I stumbled backward in a desperate attempt to get away from the reflection.

I looked... Different. So different. I mean I still looked like me, but nothing like me at the same time. In the place of my normally long, unruly caramel and brown locks was perfectly parted, and straight hair, that had some of its original colouring, but now was mainly an almost white blonde. The blonde that had only ever shown up while living in Africa, and only in small streaks.

The girl in the reflection was wearing a pink tank top and a flowered skirt. A _skirt._ I had never worn a skirt in my life. It stopped just above my knees. My legs were long, but not as long as usual.

But the worst thing was my face. My eyes looked different. They were their regular brown, but they weren't as sharp and hawk-like. They seemed bigger and rounder. My usually thick, angular eyebrows were now thin and rounded to perfection. My lips were fuller. My face was rounder.

"Max? Sweetie, are you okay?" My mom called from downstairs quietly. No. Not quietly. I just couldn't hear her. "Max?"

"Uh, Yeah I'm fine." I called. Was I? Fine? I didn't think so.

Okay. I had to get it together. Last I remembered was Lisa breaking my nose. I searched for something on me, anything that proved I was still the same. My abdomen scar! Something like _that_ couldn't fade.

I lifted my shirt. My stomach was tan and smooth. Scar-less. I should have known. How long had I been out? What happened? Why did I look like this?

My mom was downstairs. If I had been out for very long she would have come running up in a panic.

Something was very, very wrong.

I turned to leave the bathroom when I saw writing on the door. At the top it said _Max and Ella's growth spurts_.

It had mine and Ella's names by measurements. With the year.

And there were seventeen years worth of mine.

*-*-8_8_

I didn't know what was going on. I was scared. Really, really scared. I had taken a few deep breaths and took account of what was happening, however unlikely.

My wings were gone

It seems as if the fight with Lisa hadn't happened.

I seemed to be human. Like 100%.

Shit. Why couldn't my life ever be _normal_?

I sighed and opened the door. Obviously locking myself in the bathroom wasn't helping anything.

I traipsed down the stairs warily. But I tripped, on God knows what.

For the first time in my life I felt... _Clumsy_.

Huh.

I looked around. The living room looked completely the same, much to my relief.

"Up _and _dressed before noon on a Saturday?" I spun around. Mom was sitting on the Lay-Z-Boy reading a book. "What's the occasion, hun?" She smiled.

I stared at her. She looked odd. Not as drastically different as me, but still different. Her hair seemed longer, and she seemed... Skinnier? He face had no traces of the sadness that was usually present.

She frowned. "Max? Is something wrong?"

"Uh..." I articulated.

"Max? She should be in bed for, oh, another seven hours."

My eyes flashed to the doorway in confusion. I knew that voice. That voice shouldn't be here. But there he was, clad in jeans and a t-shirt wiping his hands on a dish towel.

I couldn't help it. I ran and threw myself into his arms.

"Dad!" I buried my face into his shirt. He still smelt the same. Maybe _he_ could explain what was going on.

"Oof!" he grunted. Then he let out a chuckle. I relished in the sound. "I must have done something right, eh Val?"

Mom laughed. "Love you too Max!"

I pulled back and looked at his face. His normally light brown hair was blonde, like mine which only happened in continuous sun exposure. He had no worry lines. Maybe a few laugh lines though.

Then I had the epiphany. I was human. My Dad was here, apparently going about his normal routine.

_Oh my God._ I thought with realization. _He hasn't come back, he never left! And neither did I!_ I was human because I _had never been mutated_.

I stepped back. "What's the matter sweetheart?" He asked, see my expression. Mom closed her book and looked at me too.

"I"- What? What was I going to say? I was confused because I was in some other sort of dimension? No. I smiled. "Nothing, I guess I'm just a little out of it from being up so early."

He kissed my forehead, like he had done so many times. "Alright, you want some eggs?"

I grinned. "Yes _please_."

*-*-8_8_

I had decided to just roll with it for now. I mean, what could I do? This was _reality_. I couldn't get back to my old life because, for all I really knew, there _was_ no old life.

I thought about what the possibilities were.

My brain had experienced some form of blood-clot or something, and instead of resulting in a stroke, I lost my memory and created a new one. Because when I think about it, that seems more believable than the idea that my old life happened.

I was in an alternate dimension.

I was dreaming.

The last two options didn't seem believable. There have been many scientific theories about alternate dimensions, but those are just theories. There isn't any tangible proof that they _exist_, much less that people can travel through them.

I was currently sitting on the couch with Ella. She was the one person I had seen so far that looked and acted exactly the same. It was a relief. She was still dating 'Jamie' and was currently gushing about her date last night.

For those who were as confused as I was at first: Iggy's name is James. In this... life his nickname is not Iggy, but Jamie.

-"And it was just so cute! I'm so happy you set us up Max. Thank you." She smiled in her warm, Ella-like way.

"I'm just glad you're happy Ell."

She turned to Nudge. Now, Nudge, she was completely different. She was... Well, not shy exactly. But definitely quiet. And her name wasn't Nudge. "Monique, we've got to set you up next. What about that Josh kid from your job?" Ella asked.

Nudge looked up from the book she was reading. Her usually outrageous curls were pulled back into a tight bun away from her face and she wasn't wearing any makeup or bright colours. "He _is_ kind of cute." She smiled charmingly.

"Darn right he's cute!"Ella exclaimed. "If Jamie wasn't so awesome..."

"Ella!" I scolded. She and _Monique_ giggled.

"So what are you doing on your hot date with Fang tonight?" She waggled her eyebrows.

I was at a loss. I barely even knew the Fang I was dating in this life, I could hardly recount details like date plans. "Uh... I... Um..."

"Max?" she prompted.

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" I jumped off the couch.

Why don't we pause for a second, and review what I've learned. After re-examining my room, I learned a few things about myself. I was girly. Like, not extremely fake girly, but like Ella girly. It weirded me out. I learned that no matter how my body was shaped that skirts were uncomfortable. And I had an abundance of them. I owned two pairs of jeans. Two. And then I had these weird stretch pants for the yoga that I apparently do twice a week. I learned that I was captain of the senior girl's volleyball team and had won MVP three years straight. I was on the debate team, and I was in the school band. I played violin.

I was a good student, not straight A's, but I always managed to pull of the honour roll.

I was a _great_ sister, a loving daughter, an awesome friend, and an amazing girlfriend. (Information learned from birthday cards)

Aside from that, I was clueless. Was I sarcastic? Was I mean? Was I the nicest person in the world? Did I have plans? Goals? A future mapped out?

How did I act?

On that depressingly large bout of confusion, lets un-pause and get back to the moment at hand.

I didn't know what I was expecting when I opened the door. But it wasn't Fang. But there he was none the less, casually leaning against the door frame.

He looked so... Unfang-like. I mean he still had the deep, dark eyes, the olive skin and the straight nose, but... He just looked different. His normally shaggy hair was cut short at the sides and it was in a sort of mow-hawk like thing on his head. He was wearing blue jeans, with a brown belt and a light blue t-shirt. _Light_ blue. It was so wrong.

And then I looked at his expression. He was... smiling. An honest to goodness smile, showing his teeth, not with any particular joy, but with a happy ease. Like it was natural. I had never seen Fang smile like that before. And while his old smiles were already infectious, this one was even more so.

He looked... Cute. He looked like the typical angst-less hot guy that a typical high school girl would crush on.

I couldn't help smiling back.

"Hi." He said, with his eyes sparkling.

"Hi."

He chuckled and swooped down to plant a chaste kiss on my lips. "I missed you. I'm never going to another track meet out of state again." He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

I smiled. I think I liked this Fang. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

My eyebrows furrowed. The old Fang would usually just traipse in my house without a care in the world. Now he needed to be invited in? "Um, yeah, sure, come on in." I moved out of the way.

He caught my hand. "Hey, is everything okay?"

I thought about the question. _Was_ everything okay? It was weird for certain. But was the world falling apart? Was my life unravelling at the seams? No. Not in this reality. I smiled. "Yeah. Everything is just perfect."

**RnR!**

**Didn't that just blow your mind? It would have blown mine if I didn't you know, know what was happening next. Anyways I wanna thank all my awesome readers and reviewers! You Rule!**

**I would also like to dedicate this chapter to my dear sweet Mackenzie. LOVE YOU! Happy Valentines Day!**

**~Lil Q**


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty eight:

I had been living this way for two weeks. A whole two weeks. Dreams don't last that long right? Of course not. Unless I was in a coma.

Doubtful.

For the first few days I was still freaked out, waiting for my life to go back to normal. Because life couldn't be like this, not for me. On the outside I may have been completely normal, but on this inside I was still me, a freak.

But then something happened. On the surface it seemed so mundane and stupid, but to me it was miraculous. I failed a test. I had to get it signed.

And my parents? They were 'disappointed in me' and I was grounded. The next day, of course, they decided it wasn't my fault, and un-grounded me, but still.

What was so amazing about it was that it was completely normal, and _it wasn't perfect_. It was life, complete with ups and downs.

I wasn't in the paradise I had always imagined when I thought about being normal. It wasn't _easy_.

During the school week all my classes were the same. Advanced. What was different was _me_. I didn't know the criteria. I mean I _knew_ it because I remembered learning about it, but I couldn't remember the actual knowledge. I had to study, and do homework and it was stressful because I couldn't focus. I would find my mind drifting off in class-and not from painful memories either- just from other trains of thought, and I would realize I had missed the whole lesson.

After school on Mondays and Wednesdays I would have volleyball practice for two hours. At first I was nervous because I was captain and I was supposed to coordinate the practice with the coach and help show the freshman the right manoeuvres. I didn't know the first thing about volleyball. When I actually got to practice however, it was all natural. I knew exactly what to do and say like I had been doing it my whole life. Which come to think of it, I probably had. Being weaker was a downside at first. But when it came to volleyball it was exhilarating: Pushing yourself to your limits was amazing, it was a rush.

Some limits, however, I didn't like. On Tuesdays I had debate team after school, and I was good at it, but not as good as I should have been. My thoughts were... _weird_. Broken, it seemed. My mind couldn't calculate things in a second, or come up with a quick remark on a whim. My thought process was slower. I had to think about things. It took time, and patience and I wasn't used to it.

I had band practice on Wednesdays. The violin was a challenge, I learned quickly. I could figure out the chords but it was hard. On Sundays all I would really do was practice the violin. Music wise, I could still read it perfectly, but I couldn't push it into my fingers as easily. My piano skills had decreased exponentially. My fingers were shorter and less nimble so I couldn't reach keys the same way I used to. I had no guitars to speak of.

There was another limit that surprised me. I hated being earth-bound. I had always thought of my wings as a sort of curse, as much as I loved flying. I had always thought, if I could, I would wish them away in a second to be normal. However, now that I _was_ normal, looking at the sky, feeling the breeze, watching birds soar, it made me want to be up there. I had never realized how much freedom my wings gave me until now.

So weighing all the positives and negatives? Did I like this life? I wasn't sure.

"Isn't this cute? Max? Max?" Ella tapped my shoulder.

"Hm? Sorry what?" I said. We were in a mall. It was Saturday, which apparently meant it was flock day, which we were still called. Except today it was a _girl's_ day. Which is always so much fun.

She held up a purple halter top. "What do you think?" She asked holding it up.

"Too light for your skin tone." I said offhandedly.

It seemed that normal Max liked shopping. I, however, was _not_ normal Max, on this inside anyways, and despite the fact that my hair remained perfect no matter what I did to it, I was a tomboy and that wasn't changing.

"You think so?" She asked looking at the shirt sadly.

"Yeah." I said, and grabbed a darker purple version of the same shirt of the rack, and put it on the accumulating amount of 'cute' clothes gathering on her arm. "Go try this on." I pushed her towards the changing rooms.

"Hey Nu- Monique?" I asked. Nudge was a girl after my own heart, sitting in one of the chairs reading her book. She looked up at me and smiled warmly, some of the old Nudge shining through. "I'll be right back, okay? I have a few short stops to make and I think Ella is going to be awhile."

"Kay, see you in a few." She said turning back to her book. I liked new Nudge. It was simple with her. But I couldn't help but miss her happy grin, and overzealous optimism.

I was searching for jeans. Normal non-purposely-ripped jeans like the ones I was wearing. Ugh.

T-shirts were also in a high demand, I mainly had blouses and camisoles that were patterned or... Ugh. Bejewelled.

Converse. My running shoes were jaguar. It was weird wearing them.

Most importantly of all: A leather jacket. I had always though my jacket was just to protect against road rash. No, my jacket meant so much more than that. It was sturdy, like a second skin. My own personal coat of armour. So even though I was driving a powder blue BMW, I needed it.

*-*-8_8

I was getting weird looks. I mean it's not like I had grown a second head or anything.

The only sound to be heard was forks and knives scratching on plates.

It was awkward. I didn't know if it was because I wasn't normal on the inside, or if this was just the norm. Dinner was filled with awkward silences and superficial small talk.

When I glanced at my Dad for reassurance he wasn't looking. We weren't on the same wavelength anymore. I guess we never had been.

Ella sighed. "I'm just going to go out on a limb here and talk about the elephant in the room. Max, what's going on with you?"

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting so-so- Not you!"

Mom lowered her fork. "I agree honey. Is there something wrong?"

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Max, sweetheart," my dad started. "Your grades have been slipping, you're forgetting your routine, and your attitude is changing. This isn't part of the Stanford Plan sweetie."

"The Stanford plan? Your alma mater? You have _got_ to be kidding me." I had one of those families that forced a future on you? What the Hell?

"And the whole rebel without a cause biker chick thing you have going on!" Ella exclaimed. "Where did _that_ come from? Do you know what the kids at school are saying?"

Since when did _Ella_ give a crap about what people thought?

"What is it; beat on Max day or something?" This was getting ridiculous. "I've suddenly lost my appetite." And I had. I was completely un-hungry. I had rarely ever felt that before.

I stood up. "Max you didn't ask to be excused." My mom said.

Something inside me snapped, right there. In the school I was in a cage. One of the things I hated most was not having enough room to stand up. When I was in that cage I dreamed of having a normal life where I could run wherever I wanted jump in the air, and be free. I had a normal life now. I still couldn't stand up.

"_Excuse_ me." I spat. "But I need some air."

*-*-8_8_

I was shaking, I was so angry. This was stupid. What was I angry at exactly? That I had to be excused to leave the table?

No. It was the build up of the stress, the weakness the way my family acted... One thing's for sure. It was not even _near_ perfection.

I dropped my head in my hands as I sat in the tree that Fang and I had sat in so many times before. Or had we? I didn't know.

I wanted my life back. A life where my Dad would jump in front of a train for me with no question. Where my mom would never try to force me to do something I don't want. Where my sister loved me unconditionally, no matter how I acted.

I wanted to be a freak again. I wanted the power, the speed of thought, to be able to soar whenever I wanted. I wanted to be _me_ again.

"Max?"

My eyes flashed to the ground. In the muted light, I couldn't see who it was. It was a male voice, young, so either Fang or Ig- _Jamie_.

"Up here."

Fang came to the base of the tree. "How did you get up there?"

"I climbed?"

"I thought you were scared of heights?" He sighed and ran his hand through his short hair. "Your mom called, asking if you were at my house. She sounded pissed."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well there's a lot of that going around."

"Look can you come down? So I don't have to shout?"

"I'm fine up here thanks."

"When did you become so stubborn?"

"I had a recent attitude adjustment."

"What does that even mean? Come on Max, just come down. I just want to help."

I sighed. He was relentless. New Fang had this whole meddling into my life complex similar to old Fang, just more annoying. I slid down. "Happy?"

My breath left my chest in an 'Oof' as he pulled me into his chest. Since he towered over me now, I was completely surrounded. "What's going on with you, Max?"He pulled back and pushed my hair behind my ear, something he seemed to like doing.

"Would you believe that you're not the first person to ask me that today?" His eyebrow arched. "I'm just stressed, I guess. And my family seems to dislike how I act when I'm stressed."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Why don't we get out of here, catch a movie or something and get your mind off it?"

I scanned his face. There was nothing but warmth and sincerity in his features. "Yeah. That would be great."

*-*-8_8_

Fang wasn't talking to me. I wasn't entirely sure why. We were headed back home after seeing some slasher flick. It was so stupid, how un-realistic it was I couldn't help laughing during a lot of it.

Fang suddenly pulled his jeep over. "Max we need to talk."

My eyes went to his face. He was battling over something inside. What had I done? "Not you too." I said with exasperation.

He looked at me straight in the eye. "Max, I need to know what's wrong. And don't give me this stressed out bull... stuff." Aw. He didn't want to swear around me. What a gentleman. *Insert voice with an edge of sarcasm here*

I folded my arms and looked out the windshield. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He rubbed his hand over his face. "When did we start keeping things from each other? We've been best friends our whole lives. I have never kept anything from you and up until a few weeks ago I never thought you kept anything from me!" He finished with almost a yell.

I glared ahead of me, refusing to look at him. I felt like a reprimanded child. "What do you want from me Fang?"

He grabbed my chin and turned me to face him. His eyes were so open and full of emotion in a way I had never seen before. "I want my Max back. I want her to be warm and sweet and the person I fell in love with."

My eyes felt like they widened to the size of moons. What was I supposed to day to that? That I loved him back? I barely even _knew_ this Fang. All I could muster was "You love me?"

His eyebrows came together. "Of course I do. You know that. We've said that we loved each other since we were sixteen." He scoffed and let go of me. "I can't believe you would forget something like that." He turned away.

"Fang..." What could I say? That I was from some other dimension or had something screwed in my head that prevented me from remembering my life?

"Whatever. It doesn't matter." He said as he started the car up.

I needed to make this right. "I"- I started when suddenly a line of fire trucks and ambulances came whizzing by, sirens wailing.

Fang's eyebrows came together. "Why are they heading down our street?"

We looked at each other at the same time. "Drive." I said.

*-*-8_8_

"No." I said. The sound was muffled because my hand was over my mouth in horror.

"Oh my God." Fang muttered beside me. My house was ablaze with an overwhelmingly hot fire.

I jumped out of the car and ran towards the scene.

"Max!" Fang called. But I didn't hear him. Right then I didn't care that my family were different and not what I knew. They were still my family no matter how they acted. And I would always love them.

A fireman caught me around the waist before I could get anywhere near even my driveway. "Miss, you have to stay back."

"That's my family in there!" I yelled desperately trying to get passed him. But he was too strong, and I was too weak.

He placed me in front of him. His eyes were filled with sadness and pity. "I'm sorry, you need to stay back." His eyes flashed behind me briefly.

I spun around. Being wheeled to one of the ambulances were two stretchers with filled body bags on them.

"NO!" I screamed. My legs began to shake. I fell to my knees, unable to keep myself up. I broke down in painful choking sobs. This couldn't be happening. They couldn't be dead. Tears streamed down my face for what felt like the first time in thirteen years. But maybe it wasn't. Because I didn't live that life.

Then there were arms around me.

"Max, shh sweetie. You need to get up." Fang soothed, rubbing circles on my back. I looked up in hope this was the normal Fang waking me up from some awful dream. But there was only the now dying blaze and Ella being loaded into an ambulance.

Ella! She was still alive! "Ell..." I choked out.

"I know." He said and pulled me to my feet. "Do you want to ride with her? Or do you want me to give you a ride to the hospital?"

I tried to stop shaking. Ella needed me. I needed to be in the hospital with her. "You." I said. "I don't know if I can be in there if she... she"- I started shaking again. Fang wrapped his arm around me and rubbed my shoulders.

"I know. Come on."

We hurried to his car and jumped in.

It hit me again. Mom and Dad were _dead_. Dead. Ella was _dying_. I thought my life was supposed to be normal now! Sure you got the added stress and everything, but I thought I was at least spared from horrors like this.

Fang was holding my hand and had his thumb rubbing circles on the back of it as he drove. Maybe it was because of that he wasn't paying attention. Maybe it was because we followed the ambulance through the red light.

The reason didn't matter. What mattered was an eighteen wheeler came slammed into us full speed from the left side.

Being in a hummer didn't stop us from rolling over twice.

I sat in a daze against the air bag, not knowing what just happened. Then I came to a rational thought and looked over at Fang.

His head was tilted at a horrific angle and blood dripped out of his mouth. His eyes stared out the window, not seeing anything.

He was most certainly dead.

I stared at him dumbly for a few seconds before my brain accepted the aforementioned fact.

This could _not_ be happening.

I had spent what I thought of as my old life agonizing over being a freak and what could have been if I was normal. I lost that life. I spent the brief time I remembered of my normal life wishing to go back to being a freak, and agonizing on how it wasn't as perfect as I wanted it to be. And now... I had lost everything.

All of a sudden, everything went black.

Then I was no longer sitting in the car with dead new Fang next to me, but on a stool in the middle of nothingness with a spotlight over my head.

...

Trippy.

What the _FUCK_ was going on? Then there was another light. Under it was the _last_ person I expected to see.

Ari. Not sick ten year old Ari like I remembered him, but happy six year old Ari, with a cheesy grin and big blue eyes.

He walked towards me. He was clad in a Toy Story t-shirt, jeans, and his yellow rubber boots. "Ari?"

"Hi Max." He said. My mouth gaped open. "Didn't you always tell me I'd catch flies if I did that?" I let out a breathy chuckle and closed my mouth, unable to find words. "You look like you could use a hug. I wouldn't mind one either you know." He said matter of factly, in his too-smart-for-a-six-year-old way.

I slid off the stool and onto my knees with my arms open wide. He ran and jumped into my arms. I squeezed him tight. "I miss you so much." I murmured.

"I know." He said. He pulled away. "Now Max, there's a reason you're here."

My eyebrows furrowed. I didn't even know where _here_ was. "What?"

He stopped his bright yellow foot. "You need to stop being so mean to yourself!"

"I"-

"Let's get one thing straight first. Max do you feel responsible for your parents' or Fang's deaths?" he asked.

Was this a trick question? "I- No of course not."

He smiled. "Good." His faced turned serious again. "Do you feel responsible for my death?"

My eyes widened. How could I answer this question?

"I'll take that as a yes." He sighed. "Max did you set fire to your house? Were you driving Fang's car, or the eighteen wheeler?"

I drew my eyebrows together. "No."

"Did you inject me with that needle?"

A tear streaked down my cheek. "No."

"Then how can you be responsible for my death?"

"I didn't try hard enough to save you!" I exclaimed. I just stood there and watched him die without trying to find a cure.

"Then by that logic you were responsible for Valencia, Dad, and Fang's deaths."

"But there was nothing I could do to save them!"

He patted my hand. "There was nothing you could do to save me either. There was no cure Max."

My head drooped. "Why are you saying all this?"

"Because you need to learn that what happens will happen and there's nothing you can do to control it. So stop being so afraid of being around people you love because you're scared that something will happen to them. Cherish the time you have Max." I looked up at him. He was right, of course. Because Ari-logic was never wrong. And I couldn't control what happened to my family because I couldn't control other people. I could only control myself.

I smiled at him. "Thank you." I said. He hugged me again. "So where are we anyways?"

He giggled. "We're in that crazy mixed up head of yours."

"What? How?"

He frowned. "That mean girl Lisa punched you. You bled a lot."

How could I forget? When I was seriously hurt my body went into a sort of sleeping state that only an animal could go into, like an extra long nap. It gave my body the ability to regenerate itself at an extremely rapid pace.

"But I've been in here for weeks!"

He looked at me exasperated. "You were done getting better a long time ago... but you stayed in here."

"What? Why?"

"Because you knew you had more to fix than just your body. Because the only one who knows how to convince you"- Ari suddenly started to grow and morph. His eyes changed colour his clothes changed, his hair grew longer... And suddenly I was looking at me. "Is you." I said.

A calloused hand touched my shoulder. "It's time to go back Max. Don't waste your life being afraid."

*-*-8_8_

It had been two hours. She had been out for two hours. With that kind of blood loss Fang guessed that that should be normal. Was it?

Valencia had gotten home ten minutes ago. Fang decided not to tell her about all the blood because he knew she would insist on a hospital.

Max said no hospitals. So Fang was either doing Max a big favour, or making and extremely stupid decision that could hurt Max even more.

Great.

She looked completely still. That was strange. When the flock had sleepovers and Fang would still be awake, he notice Max made faces in her sleep and she moved her hands a bit. At the time he had thought it was cute. And then slapped himself in the head for acting whipped.

Now she was completely motionless.

Valencia checked over her daughter worriedly. "Fang she's not waking up. She should be in the hospital." But there was a hesitation in her voice. Something wasn't right.

"What's wrong Val?" Valencia's eyes flashed to her daughters face.

"She shouldn't be like this. People don't go into comas like this. If I didn't know any better..."

Fang's eyebrows came together. "What?" he prompted, curious. What _else_ could possibly be different about Max?"

Valencia took a deep breath. "If I didn't know any better I'd say she was hibernating. But only animals"-

Just then a gasp came from beside them. Fang's vision went immediately to the green orbs that were now open for the world to see.

Valencia rushed to her daughter while Fang stood motionless. What should he do? Hug her? He wanted to, but she had _dumped_ him. How was he supposed to tell her how scared he'd been?

"Mom?" Max said.

"I'm right here sweetie. Valencia pushed the hair back from her daughter's face.

Then Max did something Fang did not expect. She whipped her arms around Valencia's neck in a tight hug. For the first time ever, Fang saw tears in Max's eyes. "Oh thank God." She whispered. "I am so, so sorry." Max, take no prisoners Max, was shaking with emotion.

Valencia stroked Max's hair. "It's alright sweetie, Shhh, shh." Max's eyes went to Fang's face.

He knew right then the apology wasn't just for Valencia. He smiled, and for that moment, it _was_ alright.

**Yeah. Fricken long chapter right? You should love me. Actually no. It took a really long time to write. ANYWAYS I know at least on reviewer thought that Max's real life was the whole 'normal' thing. Just for clarifications that was a dream. Max's reality is that she's a mutant. And this story isn't anywhere NEAR over. So for that disappointed reviewer... ITS OKAY I DON'T DO CRAPPY ENDINGS! RnR!**

**~Lil Q**


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter twenty nine:

Pain is a funny thing. Sometimes you get so used to it consuming you because of its continued presence in your life, that you lose sight of the world. The good things in the world that is. You forget to smile at some elderly couple holding hands who've been together God knows how long. You forget to appreciate the smell of freshly mowed grass and the scent of homemade food. You forget to stare at clouds and pretend they look like something.

Today, I saw all these good things.

My problems hadn't magically fixed themselves, and I hadn't expected them to. Ella had awkwardly hugged me when she saw I was okay and that was that. She hadn't spoken more than ten words to me in a week. My mom was more forgiving. She actually apologised for if she had made me feel like I was a replacement. I would never tell her, but it had only made me feel worse about myself. Iggy was on Ella's side, barely acknowledging me. Things with Nudge were a bit better; she offered me a sad smile whenever she saw me, before following Ella somewhere. Fang was... Unknown. Unfamiliar. We were friends? We offered each other a smile when we saw each other and a few words every now and then but it wasn't like before. I didn't know if it could ever go back to the way things were.

But the sun was shining, my Dad was okay, and I was goofing off with two little six year olds without a care in the world.

I smiled as we looked at the clouds.

*flashback*

"_Faster, faster!" Ari urged from his wheelchair I was pushing. He had gotten worse. His muscles were so weak he couldn't hold himself up to walk. _

_Normally he was tired, but like now, there were flashes of his insane energy that only little kids had._

_I ran faster, somehow thinking of I could build up my strength I could transfer it onto him. _

_My Dad came outside. "Kids, I think that's enough excitement for a bit!" He called._

_I wheeled Ari up to the house. "I'm fine Dad." Ari grumbled, but his eyelids had started to droop._

_Dad stroked Ari's bangs away from his forehead. "I know bud, but you're wearing out your sister." He winked at me. _

"_Sorry Max." Ari yawned._

_I smiled. "No big deal, Air." _

"_Dad can we stay outside? The clouds are pretty today." Ari asked._

"_Sure thing." _

_Ari and I sat outside for awhile, staring at the clouds. _

"_Max?" _

"_Hm?"_

"_Are the clouds as soft as they look?" Ari asked._

_I was about to explain to him that clouds weren't soft at all; they were an accumulation of moisture, but I saw the wistful look on his face. And I knew he didn't have long. So what harm could it do if he thought clouds were fluff in the sky like every little kid for the rest of his life?_

_My eyes welled up a little. "More. They're the softest things you could ever feel."_

_He smiled. "That's nice."_

_*flashback*_

"That one looks like a turtle." Angel said matter-of-factly, pointing at the clouds.

"No! It looks like an explosion!" Gazzy argued.

I laughed. "Gaz, you've said that about every cloud we've seen."

"Well, they all _look _like explosions."

"Gazzy, I think you have a broken imagination." Angel said, not sounding at all her age. Fang had said that she had been quoting me a lot lately, and had started sounding like me on her own.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Well I think that's enough of this activity." I sighed sitting up. Today was rare. Usually the sky was a clear blue, without a cloud in sight.

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to get rid of any grass lingering there. "You goofballs want some ice cream?"

"Yeah!" They shouted, jumping up, completely forgetting their argument.

I smiled, just because I could.

*-*-8_8_

After dropping Angel and Gazzy home, I went into my house to hear rustling in the kitchen. I walked in on Mom and Ella getting out various baking ingredients.

Ella didn't look up.

Mom smiled warmly. "Hi sweetie, we were just about to start making cookies. Would you like to help?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Um, I don't really have any kitchen skills."

Mom laughed. "Nonsense, I'll just tell you what to do and you should be fine."

"Seriously, I've started fires with just a pan and water."

Ella finally looked up. "How could you possibly manage that?"

I shrugged; surprised she was talking to me. She rolled her eyes and went back to the cupboard.

Mom's eyes shifted from me to Ella and decided not breach the subject of her continued distaste for all things Max. "Well it should be fine. We'll make sure the fire department isn't necessary."

Images of the house ablaze and mom and dad in body bags flashed across my eyes. I shivered. "We would not want that."

Mom handed Ella a big blue bowl and some cups and spoons. "Why don't you two measure the dry ingredients? Ella you can show Max what to do, right?"

Ella smiled at mom's attempt to smooth things over. She would do anything for our mother.

Ella eyed me cautiously, while handing me the flour and a cup.

"Oh darn, looks like we're out of chocolate chips! I'll just run to the store and get some. See you soon girls!" Mom said, and rushed out the back door.

Ella snorted. "Subtle."

"She just wants us to be a family again." I muttered.

Ella gave me a look that I recognised from seeing it time and time again on my Dad's face. "Please do _not_ lecture me about what _my_ mom wants."

Ouch. That was cold. "She's my mom too, Ella."

Ella angrily spooned some baking powder in the bowl. "See, that's what I don't get. Didn't your real mom die just a year ago? How can you call someone else Mom after that?"

Right then I wanted nothing more than to tell Ella the truth. Maybe I could, in a way. "My mother, Mary was never really around. I didn't really know her, so I guess I never really had a mom before. _Our_ mom, has been there for me more than almost anyone else." I sighed.

"Well you sure know how to thank her for caring." Ella spat angrily.

My head snapped towards her. I never knew Ella was capable of this hostility. "You know what Ella? I made a mistake. It was wrong and I said I was sorry." I angrily scooped some flour into the bowl. "What else can I do?" I made and angry gesture, forgetting the cup in my hand and flour flew everywhere. Namely all over Ella.

"MAX!" She screeched. "HOW AM I GOING TO GET THIS OUT OF MY HAIR?" she frantically started to comb through her hair with her fingers.

I couldn't help it. I giggled. She just looked so ridiculous, her normally dark hair was as white as her skin and she was spinning around trying to get it out of her hair, flinging flour all over the kitchen.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" She glared at me.

"It's a little funny." I laughed.

"Yeah? Well let's see how _you_ like it!" She grabbed a handful of flour from the bowl and flung it in my face before I realized what she had planned.

"Ella!" I coughed. Flour is not the most fun thing to have flung in your face. It doesn't taste too great either. "Oh it's on!" I grabbed an egg from the counter and cracked it in my hand.

"Max…" Ella retreated slightly. "Be reasonable…" She eyed the yolk that was dripping on the floor slightly.

"Nope!" She shrieked as I threw it and the egg hit the back of her head.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT!" She screeched pulling shells out of her hair.

I laughed at her. "That's what you get!"

"Oh yeah?" She said suddenly calm. Uh oh. I watched Ella open the fridge and take something out. Maple syrup. She flipped open the lid.

"Ella… Come on it was just some flour and an egg…" I tried.

"When you put it that way…" She said lowering the syrup, "It makes this all the better!" She squirted the syrup out of the bottle and I felt it hit the side of my face and all over the front of my shirt.

"That's what you get!" She repeated mockingly.

I grimaced, feeling the sticky mess that covered me. "I guess I deserved that." I conceded. Ella eyed me suspiciously. "You know what's funny Ella?" I asked sweetly.

She hesitated. "What?"

I grinned maliciously. "How much I love my sister!" I stepped towards her and enveloped her in a bear hug, getting her just as sticky as me.

"MAX!" She yelled.

"What is this mess?" Mom said coming in the door.

Ella and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

*-*-8_8_

After Ella and I made up things got a lot easier. Nudge was thrilled to have another person to talk at, and I didn't mind listening.

Iggy was once again back to his fun loving self, and Fang was... well, he was Fang.

Before I knew it, it was the beginning of December.

We were all sitting at a cafeteria table laughing our heads off at some joke Iggy told us.

Suddenly I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

I felt like I was being watched. I figured it was no big deal in a school that thought you were insane.

"Hey guys, I think I've had enough cafeteria for one day. I think I'm going to get some air. Anyone want to come?"

"Sure." Fang said getting up, stretching. I was momentarily distracted by his arm muscles flexing as he stretched.

I snapped my eyes away from him back towards our table. "I'll come!" Nudge chirped, jumping up.

Iggy eyed Fang and I and said "Actually Nudge could you stay here? I have some questions about... Uh... My computer! Yeah, it's been doing this weird beeping thing and"- He looked up. "Weren't you guys leaving?" I looked at Ella questioningly. She shrugged.

I saw Iggy surreptitiously wink at Fang.

Ugh. I did _not_ need Iggy messing with my relationship with Fang.

"Let's just go" I said, annoyed.

I sighed with relief and took a deep breath of the fresh air as Fang and I stepped outside.

"Claustrophobia?" He asked.

"Something like that."

We were silent as we found a spot on the grass.

"Looks like it's going to rain." Fang commented, looking at the clouds.

I nodded. "You know some cultures believe rain symbolizes a new beginning. Something about it cleansing the Earth of all the impurities it accumulates. Sort of like a second chance."

Fang searched my face, trying to see if I meant anything by what I was saying.

I did.

Fang smiled the smile that no one else can replicate. "A second chance?" I nodded. "Then it's a good thing it's going to rain."

Fang enclose my hand in his. I smiled at the small victory.

*-*-8_8_

Fang and I decided to talk after school. I was glad I hadn't damaged things beyond repair.

I was walking to science class when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Not again.

I ran a hand through my hair and pulled my phone out. I had been getting these creepy text messages for over two weeks. From 'O'.

The worst thing was, I had absolutely no clue if it has something to do with the school or just some loser at this school had gotten my number and was messing with me. I felt out of control again, and admittedly I was scared.

I opened the text message.

_He's cute._

_I wonder if he'll still hold your hand once he knows._

_-O_

I stiffened. Once he knows? What the _hell_ was going on?

I knew it was from the school then. What else could it mean?

Oh my God. My family. Things had just started to get better!

For what felt like the thousandth time I typed the words _Who is this?_

But unlike all the other times hat were met with silence, a reply came.

_Think Max, think really hard._

So I knew them? Who did I know with a name that started with O?

I got so lost in my train of thought that I was completely startled when Iggy waved his hand in front of my face.

"Hello? Earth to Max? Do you read?"

I rolled m eyes and put a smile on my face. "You're a moron, Iggy." I was about to say something else when my phone buzzed again.

_I guess I've had my fun._

_Come outside and meet me._

_-O_

I felt the breath leave my lungs in a whoosh. Should I go and risk being alone with someone from the school? Or should I risk someone from the school coming in here?

The latter sounded like the worst option. I stopped in my tracks, a few feet from the science room door.

"Max?" Iggy prompted.

I looked at him. "Iggy, I have something I have to do. Could you cover for me with Mr. McGill?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What should I say?"

"I dunno, think of something! Just cover for me!" I dashed to the nearest staircase before he could argue any more.

I tried to control my breathing -with little success- as I exited the school.

I hadn't been in a situation like this in years. My stealth skills were a little rusty.

Then I heard an all-too familiar voice. "Maxie, Maxie, Maxie." He said. "Or is it subject 11? I never can remember."

I turned around and studied his face. He had barely aged a day. Well that's what being a so-called super human will do to you I guess. "Omega." I muttered. "Always a pleasure."


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty:

Omega flashed a superior grin my way and said "Likewise, of course."

I ran a hand through my hair. "What are you doing here? How did you find me? Were you followed?"

He rolled his pale blue eyes. "You haven't changed much, aside from the obvious." He said eyeing my stature.

I sighed and sat down at a picnic table, motioning for him to join me. "What's it been? Five years?"

Let's have another one of our fun little intermissions.

Omega, though he looks like he's twenty five, as he did five years ago, is actually only about ten years old. You know, if you're counting years he's actually been alive. He was born physically and mentally an adult. As an embryo, he literally had transmissions sent into his developing brain, giving him all basic human knowledge and the ability to process information at a rate only slightly slower than the average computer.

So he was smarter than me. A fact that he had taken to reminding me of.

Omega was a big guy. The white coats had engineered him so that he was the perfect example of the Nazi concept known as the Aryan Race. He towered about me at his six feet five inches, and had a broad chest and shoulders to match. His almost white blonde hair went well with his barely blue eyes.

He wasn't a mutant, per se. He wasn't human either. He was- highly evolved. At least that's what the director of Itex called him before we were supposed to fight to the death.

_*Flashback*_

_I shook slightly as I stepped onto the platform that would raise me into the stadium. There were so many ways this plan could go wrong._

_I was betting it all on someone I didn't even know. Omega had seemed sincere in his quest to 'get out of this hell hole' and I put my faith in him because I could relate to him._

_The futures of my father, my brother and I all depended on this one person._

_I sent a silent prayer for everything to go smoothly. And for Omega to have told the truth._

_I assumed the ear shattering cheering started because _she_ walked up to the podium._

_Marion Jansen. The Director. The leader of the new world. She had many names. My personal favourite was evil bitch._

"_Ladies and gentleman." She started "I welcome you here today to display a new experiment that has rendered all others completely obsolete."_

_I snorted. I had beaten Omega in all the trial fights except the most recent. They realized instead of giving him more enhancements they should reduce my strength. That was one of the more painful procedures. _

"_As a demonstration I will first show you our most successful experiment up until this point. I give you, Subject Eleven!"_

_The platform jolted as it started to rise. I entered in a defensive stance, feeling off balance, not used to my diminished strength._

_My eyes squinted at the sudden bright light of the sun shining down on me. I wasn't fooled by the apparent easy access to the sky. I knew there was a field of electricity over the stadium that would knock me out for days if I attempted to fly through._

_I searched amongst the faces of experiments until I found him. He was easily the smallest there. My heart tore at the sight of my little brother shaking._

_I caught his eye and tapped my chin. He nodded and held his head higher. Never let them see you're afraid._

_I looked up into the cruel eyes of the Director. I could tell she was planning on enjoying this. I was _not_ her favourite person._

_She smirked at me before turning her attention back to the scientist. "Our newest success is magnificent. He has an IQ so high he can process information at the speed of a super computer, he can lift ten times his body weight and unlike _Subject Eleven_" She sneered, eyeing the wings sticking out of my back that I hadn't learned to fold properly."He can inconspicuously fit in a crowd. I give you, the highly-evolved, PROJECT OMEGA!"_

_The crowd cheered as Omega's platform started to rise._

_Omega rose up in a defensive stance mirroring my own, his face like stone._

_I searched his expression desperately for a sign that he was ready for our plan to take effect._

_He had his game face on, I would give him that. I could see no trace of emotion on his face, not even anger. _

_For the briefest of moments, however his eyes snapped towards mine and he nodded almost imperceptibly. _

_I took a deep breath. This was definitely going down. _

_My eyes went back to Ari, who had his eyes trained on me. I held three fingers to my side. _

You ready?

_He held two to his. _Yes.

_"Project Omega has been designed to be a soldier aiding us on our quest for a new world. I present him to you today on the hopes that you will agree to create a whole race of Omegas used as an army that will dominate the Planet Earth!"_

_I shuddered at the idea of the director's end game. The world had enough problems already without a hostile takeover by some nut jobs who probably inhaled too many fumes in the lab. _

_I watched as Omega was forced to answer complex math problem at the top of his head and demonstrate his ability to lift an 800 pound weight over his head. _

_"We will now demonstrate Omega's abilities in a combat situation, as he fights Subject Eleven to the death!" she shouted with glee. _

_The crowd began to cheer. I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of these people- if you could even call them that._

I'm just a twelve year old kid._ I thought. _Shouldn't they have at least _some_ sympathy?

_I first waited until Omega was in the correct stance, then I launched myself at him. I snapped out my wings, gripped him under the arms and started to rise. _

_I grunted in pain over the weight I wasn't used to carrying while flying. _

_"You've got the charges?" I asked. _

_"Yes."_

_"You ready for this?"_

_"Are you?"_

_I winced at the pain in my arms. "We'll see."_

_I took a deep breath, gathered my strength and threw him at the wall with all my might. _

_I rolled my eyes at the shouts of protests the scientists made at my 'fighting' tactics. _

_I saw Omega's hand place the charge on the silver panel on the wall as he crashed into it. _

At least my aim is still good._ I thought as I dive bombed towards Omega to prevent him from slamming painfully onto the ground. Professional courtesy and all that. _

_I caught him around the arms once again. "How long?" I whispered frantically. _

_"Twenty seconds."_

_I cursed and made a show of slamming him down into the pit with the experiments. _

_Ironically, the most protected area. _

_We made a run for Ari. I engulfed the little boy in my arms and crouched down, acting as a human shield for him. _

_The crowded stadium made sounds of confusion when..._

_BOOM. _

_A millisecond of silence ensued before the screams started. I watched as the force field became visible before dying out. _

_"Are you alright?" I shouted at Ari over the loud noise. _

_He simply nodded with a dazed look on his face. _

_All of a sudden the building started to shake and I felt the powder from the concrete enclosure above me fall on my face. _

_I turned to Omega who seemed to be enjoying the chaos all too much. _

_"The whole place is coming down! What kind of explosive was that?" I yelled in disbelief. _

_He grinned. "A new prototype of Itex's. Highly effective."_

_"How the _Hell_ am I going to have time for two trips?"_

_His eyebrows drew together. "What?" I picked Ari up and we ran to the middle of the stadium. People were pushing each other over to get to the exits. _

_"I can't very well fly both of you up to the helicopter at once! It would be over two hundred pounds!" I shouted angrily. _

_He ran a hand threw his hair. We heard it before t came. The loud helicopter hovered over 300 feet above us. _

_About fifty feet of rope ladder descended from the copter. _

_"Our time has officially run out!" I shouted as one of the walls started to crumble down. _

_Omega's face suddenly lit up with realisation. "Give me the kid!" He yelled. _

_"WHAT?" I held Ari tighter. _

_"Max, you can lift heavier loads with momentum right? Give me the kid, fly up high, dive bomb and grab me, use the momentum to keep going and throw us! I'll catch onto the rope!" _

_"No that's crazy! It's too dangerous!"_

_"I think staying in here is more dangerous! It's the only plan we've got!"_

_I knew he was right. There was no other way. "You hurt my brother and I'll tear you limb from limb!"_

_He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. No kidding. Pass me the kid."_

_I turned my attention to Ari. "Hey bud?" he looked up at me, terror in his eyes. "Omega's going to hold onto you for a bit. I want you to hold onto him as tight as you can and don't let go until I say. Got it?" _

_"Got it." he said with determination. _

_I reluctantly passed him over to Omega. "I've got you, kid. Hurry Max!" _

_I nodded and launched myself into the sky. And instantly regretted it._

_Oh dear God. I thought coughing. The powder and silt was in the air, making it near impossible to breathe or see. _

_So I did the only thing I could do. I dived down the same place I came up and hoped for a miracle. _

_I got one. About fifty feet to the ground the dust clears some and I saw them. I poured on the speed and scooped them up. I went straight up at the same speed and launched them in what I hoped was the direction of the helicopter. _

_I sighed in relief as Omega's hand clasped to one of the rungs, his other tightly wrapped around my little brother, just as the entire building completely collapsed inward. _

_I watched as the ladder was pulled up while flying towards the copter. _

_I threw myself inside, exhausted mentally and physically. It had been a year in Hell, but it was over. _

_Omega closed the door as Ari ran into my arms, crying. He'd been so scared. _

_I looked up onto the face of my favourite pilot on the whole world as he turned around to see me from his seat. My Dad had tears in his eyes. "You made it sweetheart." _

_I let out a deep breath. "With a little help." I said, eyeing Omega. _

_He scoffed. "A little? _Please_, you couldn't even come up with plan to escape without me."_

_Dad turned his attention towards him. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for what you did for my family." _

_Omega shrugged "You could start with some food."_

_Ari and I agreed wholeheartedly. _

_*-*-8_8__

_"Where will you go now?" I asked Omega over about eight burgers. _

_"You're welcome to stay with us." Dad interjected from the couch in the motel room we were in. Ari was fast asleep on his lap. _

_Omega took a big slurp from his soda. "Thanks, Doc, but no offence, I really don't want to be with anyone with any links to Itex for too long." _

_"Understandable. At least let me help you get settled somewhere. You'll need papers and licenses, since technically, you don't exist."_

_He nodded. "That would be appreciated." _

_"It's settled then."_

A week later we said our goodbyes to Omega, and we hadn't seen or heard from him since.

Until now.

"I guess. I haven't really been counting." He replied, completely nonchalant.

I rubbed my face in aggravation. "What are you even doing here?"

His expression automatically sobered. "I'm just- checking up on you." He said cautiously.

I stared at him. "Don't try to lie to me. You know I can always tell when someone's lying. Including you."

"I'm not lying Max. But I'm not telling you everything either. You're just going to have to deal with that."

I scoured his expression. That was as much as I was going to get for now. I sighed. "So checking up on me, huh?" he nodded. "No offence Omega"-

"Omar."

"What?"

"Its Omar now." he folded his arms.

I raised an eyebrow. "I dunno. You don't really seem like an Omar."

He shrugged. "It's the closest name to Omega I could find."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. As I was saying, _Omar_, no offence, but we were never really friends or anything."

"Max, don't be naïve."

"Excuse me?"

"You're right. We're not friends. Hell, I don't even really like you."

"Stop, you're making me blush."

"But I saved your ass once. And you saved mine. That means we're always going to have one another's backs, right?"

I furrowed my eyebrows at the sudden serious topic. Then I remembered something. "Why did you send me the text messages?" I asked, slightly miffed. "Those were completely unnecessary."

He shrugged as if terrorising me was no big deal. "I was testing you."

I glared at him, suddenly filled with rage. "You are so full of shit." I spat, standing up.

"What? Why?"

"You know how many times Itex 'tested' me?" I asked, using air quotes.

"I just needed to see how you would react to danger."

"Why? What possible reason could you have to need to know that?"

"Because they're coming back Max! Itex is coming back."


End file.
